Category: News

Blood Orange Officially Announces Essex Honey

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I will own up to the fact that I generally straddle the fence when it comes to Blood Orange. I loved Dev Hynes as a young musician, particularly during his Lightspeed Champion, so some of the musical styles were a bit of an adjustment. That said, you can’t deny his songwriting, his greatest gift for layering hook atop hook in small spaces. For instance, the single below, fresh with the announcement of a new album, trickles then unfurls into this dense modern orchestral piece, filled with the touchstones of everything Hynes has done up until now. You can’t listen to this track and not just marvel at the gifts to arrange this piece and its accompanying parts; you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for Essex Honey, dropping on August 29th via RCA.

Another New Nicamus Tune

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I tend to obsess over things I cannot explain to others, like Portland’s Nicamus. In a way, they sort of remind me of Red Pants, hitting on that sort of lo-fi approach, but built with these dense textures that reveal themselves upon repeat listens. But, I can also see how this just feels like the jangling indie rock we cover all the time, and yet not at all like that, kind of making its own quirky way into the indie rock sound. It’s bright and charming, but just a bit off-kilter, and their ethos seems to be built on channeling freedom into their DIY sound. They’ve got a record titled Trust Fall that should be out real soon, so keep an eye out there!

Mum Release Only Songbirds Have a Sweet Tooth

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While there is a lot of music that hits me with its immediacy and boldness, I’m also always inclined to delve into the spaces in-between, like the track that dropped yesterday from Iceland’s Mum. Musically, there’s a bubbling buoyancy burrowing beneath, but it never entirely rises to the top of the song, leaving tons of negative space for the song to weave the alternating vocals between the lines. Each space, while feeling light, also has this omnipresence that allows you just sink deep into the track, and for that I’m grateful. They release their new album, History of Silence, on September 19th.

The Telephone Numbers Announce Scarecrow II

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When this song popped up, RayRay insisted that this was possibly the most “Nathan” song to ever exist, and to be fair, he’s not entirely wrong about this single from The Telephone Numbers. You can immediately hear what I love about the San Francisco group, as those chiming jangles ring brightly upon pressing play. But, what I adore about the group, are the way they focus on the vocal delivery; they keep this fireside warmth, sort of sweeping the room with this broad melody that soothes. When the full band joins for backing harmonies too, you know you’re in for the perfect brand of stellar guitar pop. They’ll release Scarecrow II on the only place that makes sense; Slumberland Records will drop the LP on October 10th.

Living Hour Announce Internal Drone Infinity

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Several years have passed since we’ve heard from Winnipeg’s Living Hour, but a new single tells us we’re in for another great record. They brought their new batch of songs to Melina Duterte of Jay Som, and while I appreciate a good engineer, the magic doesn’t happen without the songwriting. I love how the first minute of this tune seems to kind of offer several stages, starting with a strum then moving to full band and finally exploding into the chorus with a soaring vocal change and ripping solo guitar line. If they can pull all that off in less than a minute what do you think they’ll accomplish on Internal Drone Infinity? The new record is out on October 17th via Keeled Scales/PaperBag/Beloved Records.

Dress Warm Release Divine Single

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First things first, the single is titled “Divine,” though I’ll admit that the performance is also similarly divine, in its own manner. We’ve covered Dress Warm for some time, trying to get the Austin bunch on your radar, and now that they’ve got a debut planned, we’ve got the album’s first single to share with you. Brandon Price seems to be the main player in the track’s first half, letting the gentleness of his voice work atop the light strums of guitar work; it’s a living room performance, the sort that brings you in with its natural intimacy. They work the song into a lather, letting it build up with this stomping tension before washing it clean by letting the full band sound sweep in and layer the track in emphatic texture. Their debut album, If I Could I’d Take You There is out on August 22nd.

Balloon Thief Drop Raucous Punk

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There is something in the style of Providence outfit Balloon Thief that just makes me want to riot, albeit in a safe and respectful way. A rush of energy greets you instantly, showing indifference to trends and flair, intent on banging out a furious rocker in less than two minutes. In the chorus, it almost feels like the energy can’t be contained, delivering the line “I’ve got a hole in my head” that seemingly has you feeling like everyone is bouncing right off the walls. It’s as if the band just want to get up, rush through a set in 20 minutes, and walk off the stage drenched in sweat, leaving the audience with their ears ringing. That your thing? Check out the entire Hole in My Head EP!

Groceries Release Angel Numbers

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Groceries are barely a year old, and here they are ready to release one of the year’s more exciting releases. When listening through their latest single from Human Extinctions, there’s this earnestness in their performance, but also this innocence. They take a an amalgam of influences and throw it on the wall with abandon, seeing what sticks. There’s a melody here, a soaring vocal there, snapping stick work and this overwhelming sense of exuberance, all of it compiled to create this energy that’s clearly meant to remind us of music’s joy. They’re releasing their debut album Human Extinctions this Friday!

Circling Back to Mikey Demilio

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Just a few weeks ago, Mikey Demilio released Billionaires Club, which is a collection of tunes that operate along the various lines of indie rock; there’s anxious numbers, upbeat jams and some spins just illustrate that he’s a young artist working to find his sound. I chose the tune below because it’s got this high-kicking stomp to it, and I absolutely love to get my groove started in that spot. The angular notes open up to this vocal effect that feels like a big wash of emotion’s ready to stomp right on through your door. There’s a vibrance that’s undeniable here, and perhaps loving this song will guide you to the rest of his LP.

Wombo Shares Spyhopping Single

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Every twist and turn on this new single from Wombo seems intentionally set, like the band are purposefully sonically shapeshifting, lulling us into the secretive realms of their sound. At times, struck notes can ring discordantly, but they don’t put you off, only pique your interest as the bass works you back into the rhythm of the track. It goes this way, then that way, letting Sydney Chadwick weave her way through the well-crafted skeletal backbone of this jam. Danger in Fives is out on August 8th via Fire Talk.

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