The Mary Onettes Drop Two New Singles

This past Spring, the Mary Onettes quietly dropped a stellar single for our ears, the first hint that 2025 might offer the Swedish outfit a welcome return. Today, we get further insight into their plans, as they’ve delivered two fresh singles, with the promise of more coming from the group in 2025. The first of the two tunes, “Hurricane Heart” reaches back to their self-titled LP, particularly in the cavernous feel of the vocals; I love the quick strum of the guitar that works in the song’s backdrop, akin to something you’d hear on a Go-Betweens track…just spun in a dreamier space. They do switch to some loftier tones in the vocals as it progresses, so it’s nice to hear plot twists being used to illustrate how far they’ve come as a band. On the other new single, they enlist Maja Milner of Makthaverskan on vocals to balance out the emotion; it’s a nice addition on a track that brims with a new energy. You might not have heard such adventure in their earlier works, but it seems like they’ve really come together to craft something supremely refreshing. This is the band at their finest, and I cannot wait until we get our hands on more new music!

Fotoform This City is Over

Friday’s a busy day on the release schedule, and Fotoform will be dropping their latest effort, Grief is a Garden (Forever in Bloom). Alas, you can’t head into the weekend without one last convincing hint at the record, like the latest single “The City is Over.” This go round, the entirety of the song is a personal reclamation of meaning in our life, realizing that goals and expectations are part of the cyclical nature of modernity, and as such, are destructive forces in our lives. All of this is supported by a shiny bit of industrial-influenced dream pop, filled by hazy guitar lines and a exploring the negative space with bubblegum melodies. Grab the LP this Friday!

Sugar for the Pill Share Anelia

Of late, there have been several bands that have been driven by the heady club vibes of the late 80s/early 90s; they’ve repurposed that sound into something grander…and in the case for Sugar for the Pill, dreamier. They’re taking those heavy club reverberation, akin to the stuff we heard on early Dummy LPs, then transforming it into something heavenly. The vocals embrace the more ethereal realm, sort of cascading off into the shimmering edges as backing vocals layer the effect. It encircles you, swoops in, then carries you away, and it does so over and over again, each time letting your brain drift into the far off. Deifnitely hope we get more from the Greek outfit soon.

Fotoform Share Grief is a Garden

This Fotoform tune has been kicking about for a few days, but as I was on vacation, I’m just now able to guide you towards the comfort you’re seeking. For my two cents, the song’s draw is the perfect dynamic balance between the angelic tones of singer Kim House and the ambient waves of noise that billow through the background of the song; it creates this cavernous structure, with House as your guide, leading you towards your own solace. Yet, like the thematic essence of grief, growing and budding, the song, too, offers something entirely new when you hit the 2:34 minute mark, channeling a darker sentiment. It’s harrowing in its nature, only to blossom and bloom at the end, recapturing the perfect shimmer for a brief moment before slinking back into the dark. Their new album Grief is a Garden (Forever in Bloom) drops on April 18th.

Deary Share Selene Single

I only recently got into Deary, but with a new single, they’re sound continues to mesmerize, working on the softer side of dream pop. When you listen to their newest single (mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott), you’ll find that wall of ambient noise lurking, but it sort of feels like it’s hanging in the shadows, careful not to show too much of itself. That suits the vocals perfectly, as they too hide, layering in melody where it feels more textural, which is one of my favorite moves in the genre. Towards the latter half of the song, a keyboard line begins to emerge, allowing the song to build towards a climactic pop crescendo that continues to have the group bustling in my listening rotation.

Phantom Handshakes Share Dusk Enchanted Visualizer

Avowed Phantom Handshakes fan over here, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting the whole of their new record, but for now I’ll do with another tasty tease. “Dusk Enchanted” is one of those tunes that completely captures the song’s title in its sentiment. Heavy guitar tones weave the pattern here, providing the element of darkness as it creeps into the sky; you’ll find that feeling creeping into your room too as the song begins to unfold. Federica’s voice, however, captures the whole of the fading light, sparkling as the last remnant of the sun before we settle into the night. And through it all, the melody is wholly intoxicating, and you won’t be able to pull yourself away from this beautiful number. Sirens at Golden Hour is out on August 21st.

Phantom Handshakes Return with Sirens at Golden Hour

New York’s dreamy popsters Phantom Handshakes have been quietly going about the delivery of consistently good pop music over the last four years; they’re finally back with an official new LP, Sirens at Golden Hour, with a stunner to set your expectations. As per usual, they’ve got this wash of atmosphere coating the methodical bounce from the rhythm section; they’re capable of making even the catchiest moments seem like a hazy mirage on the horizon. You’re going to love Federica’s performance too, as she picks up on the energy of the song, bouncing her voice into the mixture from time to time. Sirens at Golden Hour will drop on August 21st, and the feels are trending up for this release.

Beverly Kills Drop Hymn to You Single

I needed something shiny to start off my day, so felt like this Beverly Kills tune would be the perfect way to slink into Friday, for both myself and for you. When this kicks off, you can hear a nod to a number of dreamy pop bands, but I certainly feel like our audience will recognize some sonic similarities to Alvvays. But, like many a band of this ilk, they’re not content revolving in the dreamy state, pushing forward by jumping on those pedals and ripping right into huge anthemic pop; the chorus here hits perfectly as the tune turns into an ode to a lost love. Every bit of execution is brimming with emotion and overflowing with hooks that I’m sure you’ll love. Happy Friday kids.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults Share Swirl

Okay, so “Swirl” has been floating around for a few days now, but to be fair, there’s been a lot of really great music, so I’m finally sitting down to enjoy new stuff from Letting Up Despite Great Faults. This new song illustrates some recent moves of the band, allowing songwriter Mike Lee to let go of the vocals, thus giving Annah more of the light. This move, as apparent on the tune below, maintains the band’s dreamy softness, as Fisette’s voice isn’t too far off from the tones Lee offers when he’s on the mic. I love the classic dance of the guitars here, sounding like something you’d find on a Republic B-sides collection…and a bonus for the band as they got Jay Som to lend some mixing help…another sign that these are good things on the rise.

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.

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