Red Ribbon is an extremely personal album that lacks reluctance with expressing the undertones of the complex feelings within dark romance, sex, and self liberation. Ambient keys, seductive vocals, and jazzy notes surround and compliment Emma’s sharp words expressing the permanence of her actions provoked by heartbreak and a slow escape from delirium.
Winter claims the lyrics within ...and she's still listening are written from a perspective of a female character that she considers an “extension of her,” an exploratory writing process that could be seen as a unique tool to translate a continued healing journey from the subconscious. Winter leaves listeners to sink into honest emotion.
As NYCs alternative scene flourishes, MX Lonely rises with their early 2024 release Spit. The EP stimulates the brain as you can effortlessly hear the energy and attitude the band possesses. Their writing concepts, 90's grunge riffs, intriguingly spooky vocal harmonies, and dedication have curated an emotionally charged EP.
Slow Pulp introduce deeply sentimental themes of personal reflection and a new sound on their most recent album, Yard. The album is a further evolution of their sound as it brings together synth sounds from prior releases while continuing to lean towards more acoustics, which suits the nostalgic energy of the album’s entirety.
SWiiMS continue to evolve their sound with their upcoming album Into The Blue Night. Along with their excellent instrumentalism comes tracks drenched in thoughtful songwriting, leaving listeners to want more. Mai Diaz Langou notes it’s about: "the beginning stages of a relationship - how you try to make yourself more intriguing”.
Deady brings a fresh sonic expression of throwing a middle finger to the system through their lyrics taunting ACAB on one of the more punk rock albums to be released this year. Deady unfolds into further exposure of greed and blindness while also being an album you enjoy simply because of the hex-girl whining and electrifying strings.
The collaboration of Ryan Hemsworth’s (Quarter-Life Crisis) electronic music specialty and Shalom Obisie-Orlu’s emotional value produced Shalom’s incredibly solid debut album, Sublimation. The two are said to have “worked seamlessly” as the original seven tracks turned into Hemsworth’s encouraged twelve.
"Party Punks" Sculpture Club recently signed with Born Losers Records, and they're kicking it off with a new era, transitioning from the aura of The Smiths into the fleeting emotions of The Cure. The 80's Romcom-esque single "Cursed or Hexed" is paired with a single shot music video featuring an abundance of glitter and poppy 80's synth.
Indie-gazers Bleary Eyed have released their latest four track EP after signing with Born Loser Records, a Philly music staple. Bleary Eyed can be seen as an “evolved” sound as it contains familiar shoegaze undertones from the band’s prior release Guise, combining with the new EP’s indie-pop choruses and dreamy synths.
The latest tracks show audible signs of softer edges than before, flattered by classic shoegaze structures. Love Lives in the Body is a very honest and relatable album as it portrays the spinning feelings of emotional-awareness, the struggle of self-love, and the concept of bordering on the thin line between optimism and delusion.
Fans of bands such as Night Sins, Old Moon, and The Cure, assemble! One of Boston's best alternative bands, The True Faith’s upcoming LP, Go To Ground, is just around the corner in January 2023. "Feet Held To The Fire" immediately gives you a floating sensation and feeling of romanticizing heartbreak through Travis Benson's yearning vocals.
In August of 2021, Pile released an LP perfect for laying under the stars; Songs Known Together, Alone consisting of newly recorded tracks pulled from Pile's massive collection accompanied by a clever change in production. The tracks are all reimagined versions of Pile songs recorded solo by frontman Rick Maguire.
