Month: June 2024

Checking In with Lunar Isles

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I’ve been covering David Skimming’s project Lunar Isles since I first hit upon the artist; he just recently dropped Parasol, his latest bit of wafting pop tunes. If you’re interested in the sounds he’s crafting, you needn’t go any further than the opening track on the LP; it uses these tickling little jangles to step into some energy, though the spirit of the song hangs itself on the winds. Such gentle approaches to jangling pop provide the listener with this blissed out adventure, and one that begins when you press play below before heading off into the rest of Parasol.

Last Week’s Jams (6.17 – 6.21)

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What started off as a slow week quickly hit hard once the Softies announced their return to the scene after a few decades away. While that may have overshadowed my personal adoration, there was still plenty of cool things to jam out to, or so I thought. The Teenage Tom Petties take on a power pop version of doo-wop, while Chime School announced what seems to be the purest of jangle pop record ever to exist. We had some outsider stuff too that I was super into, like the new Robber Robber single…plus some 7 degrees of Austin made easy with new music from Blood and Lunar Vacation. And, if you need sweet pop feels, try out the new 7ebra or Emma Russack jams. All in all, some great new finds for you here, if you’ll only press play.

Human Barbie Shares Wishing Single

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Dreamy singer-songwriters are in quite the ascendancy at the moment, but as we’ve mentioned previously, you should put the work of Human Barbie on your list. Christopher Leopold’s project has some of the strongest execution of the genre at the moment, and I’m definitely in love with the recording mix on the latest single. Sure, the vocals are light and feathered, which is perfect for the style, but the way you can hear the growl and strum of the guitars, as if you’re the microphone yourself, picking up every little vibration in the world is just perfect. If you haven’t invested in his work yet, now seems like the perfect time!

Dummy Announce Free Energy

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Throughout their first few EPs and their debut LP, Dummy sounded like a band willing to take their love for noise and pop music into new realms; they took the sounds they loved and flipped it on its head, much to the adoration of folks like me. Today, we bring you the welcome news that they’re returning with Free Energy, their sophomore LP. Our first listen has this blend of textures that seemingly don’t coexist, but when delivered by this LA outfit, everything makes sense. It begins with this experimental water science project, just before moving into these rolling house beats hiding beneath this buzzsaw guitar realm that dominates the surface of the tune. What ties it all together you ask? The perfect execution of vocals; the way each voice gets layered crafts its own textural world, building a dreaminess that constantly fights for air in the noisy realm they’ve created. Free Energy will carry you to other worlds on September 6th, courtesy of Trouble In Mind Records.

Manatee Commune Shares Mosaic Single

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As you ease into your Monday, you need that accompanying piece. You need that tune that wakes up a bit groggy, then picks up a beat to move the day forward, just like this new single from Manatee Commune. At first, the beat is trickling, just a consistent little drop with synth notes dancing quietly behind; you can feel tension rising as each additional layer works its way into the moment. At 1:30 or so, the beat picks up, but it jettisons further around the 2 minute mark, thickening the bounce to a banger of a groove that gets you into the rest of your day. There’s a little respite in the latter half, slowing it down, just as you would perhaps tire in your day, then springs right back into the hooks. The new LP, Simultaneity, drops July 19th via Bastard Jazz.

Book Review: Depeche Mode’s 101 by Mary Valle

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When digging into the vast catalog of books from the 33 and 1/3 series (Bloomsbury), you get all sorts of approaches to the discussion of an album. You’ll find the biographical, the narrative, the political, a “Behind the Scenes,” and even the autobiographical from time to time. When Mary Valle takes on Depeche Mode’s 101, she sort of skips around all the formats to craft her own approach, which is both successful, and not.

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JW Francis Announces Sunshine

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Traditionally, Fridays are meant to be invigorating, a promise of a carefree aura on the horizon. Today, might we implore you to settle in with this new single from JW Francis, as it’s got the same sort of promise for his forthcoming album. There’s a driving bit of synth throughout the verses, delivering this spirited sprint that maximizes the tension in the tune. It all comes to a full-head though when the chorus drops and the song just rains melody atop your head; it’s a sublime moment that just pulls you into the depths of the tune, unable to pull yourself away from it’s pop magnetism. Sunshine, the new LP, will drop officially on September 11th via Born Losers.

WUT Share Title Track from Mingling with the Thorns

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It’s been a great week for the Pacific Northwest indiepop scene, with the Softies announcing their return. But, you can look to another great pop act, WUT, if you’re willing to double-down on candy earworms; I mean, there’s some pop cross-pollination if you’re reading your line notes. Alas, the song itself definitely wears the style of the PNW (in my mind anyways); it almost feels like the spirit of Calvin Johnson just bled into the songwriting process for this one, long ago during some Indian Summer. While the rhythmic rumbled works its cathartic magic, the sharpness of the vocals during the verses shines like the sun through the windows, illuminating your listening room…the chorus group vocal and bobbing bass is perfect. Look for Mingling with the Thorns to drop on August 18th via HHBTM.

Max Blansjaar Shares Like a Bad Dream + Drops False Comforts

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Today, Max Blansjaar celebrates the release of his brand new record, False Comforts, which we’ve covered pretty extensively on this site. But, before you go jump off and listen, Max wanted to offer one more tease, enticing you to get the full listen on today. There’s something about Blansjaar that exudes confidence; he’s able to coolly deliver each line with stated indifference, just letting the track’s natural charm draw you into the fray. In a way, there’s a lot on this song, and the whole record that remind me of Jeffrey Lewis, offering up classic pop styles that just feel slightly left of center, just enough to make it feel like you’re rooting for the outsider. False Comforts can be streamed HERE.

Teenage Tom Petties Share Kissed Me in Seattle

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The folks at Repeating Cloud and Safe Suburban Home have been hinting at new music from Teenage Tom Petties all week, and boy do we deserve this treat. On this new single, there’s almost a classic ditty feel, something that would have been catchy as hell back in the 50s, but gets a modern dust up by fueling it with walls of distortion that take the hook into the present. They’ve been flirting with catchy hooks since their inception, but this might be the peak, as you’re not going to find something as infectious as this new tune. Bonus points for an Alamo nod! You’ll hear this on the group’s new self-titled LP, which drop via the aforementioned labels on August 2nd.

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