Nate Terepka (formerly of Zula) has been developing his own take on avant-garde pop for over a decade. Five years after that dissolution of his band and a move to Portland, he’s back in the swing of things, set to release Not Yet, a new solo album that captures the prismatic nature of his songs as they reflect both joy and anguish.
Chicago’s Tension Pets were made for these times, their sound a whirlwind of warped technicolor punk and hyperactive noise pop. The band arrived delightfully weird yet locked in on Cubey, earning an apt comparison to Brainiac or potentially The Rentals (after a prolonged acid trip), their debut a particular kind of synth friend brilliance.
Chicago-based band, Interlay, has shared a new single today called “Medic,” offering the first sneak peak into their forthcoming EP, Hunting Jacket. With a guitar riff originally written a handful of years ago by Alexandria Ortgiesen, the song has since been fleshed out over the years, finding life within the band’s newest line up.
Marcel Wave understand the need for balance, a task that Maike Hale-Jones excels at. Their sound jitters beneath a deft combination of her sardonic and poetic spoken vocals and sweeping melodies that feel enormous by comparison. Featuring members of Sauna Youth and Cold Pumas, there’s a seasoned dexterity to their debut.
Pons keep their reckless spirit alive with "Can’t Stand It,” a berserk cover of the James Brown song as you’ve never heard it before. Out today via Dedstrange Records (APTBS, Goblin Daycare, Wah Together), the band trade in the godfather of soul’s traditional funky sound for something a bit freakier, a bit noisier, a bit more deranged.
On their new single "Shimmer Away," Philly’s Bleary Eyed make brain fog sound inviting. Those familiar with the band's previous work will immediately recognize their trademark distorted blend of synths and a burst of busy drum machine beats, setting the stage for blissful hooks and hazy vocal harmonies to emerge from the muck.
The brilliant Workers Comp, a band that splits the differences between lo-fi punk, Americana, and folk in it’s rawest distillation, are set to release their upcoming self-titled album, out May 31st via ever/never records, collecting all of their EPs and singles, highlighting both the humanity and labor driven dissatisfaction that lies in their hearts.
For Hunter Mockett, who makes hypnotic, closely held music as Aaberg, his first months in Philly offered a dichotomy: a chaotic city and a cozy domicile. On “Mouth,” the first single from Wishing Well (out August 2nd via Forged Artifacts), Mockett’s near-whisper vocals betray the sense of gratitude and perseverance.
Sunshy’s “Poison” is yet another blast of focused, hooky noise pop from the Chicago group, the final single off their upcoming album I don’t care what comes next, due out this summer via MakeOutMusic Records. Sunshy has quickly made a name for themselves by combining heavy guitars with pop influenced grooves.s
After sharing “Endrados," "Drop-In," and “Would Be,” Las Nubes return with the veritable wrecking ball of “Pesada”. Fuzzy low-end and bright melodies recall both hometown heroes Torche as well as Tweak Bird, as Ale Campos and Emile Milgrim dig deep into the stoned core with a riff equal parts doom-soaked yet melodically syrupy.
Minneapolis’ Murf provide an all out assault on the senses, their brand of hardcore tinged noise rock is splattered with gore and unsettling fury. Celebrating ten years together as a band, the quintet are set to release Already Dead on May 28th via Learning Curve Records, a howling and vicious record prone to dense thuds and swarming atonality.
Sofia Bolt returns with her second full length, the gorgeous Vendredi Minuit. Out today via Born Losers Records, the Parisian born, Los Angeles based songwriter adds a multitude of depth to her oeuvre, blending together dreamy pop, orchestral psych, and soft lit yé-yé grooves. Bolt wrote in to give us the inside scoop on each of the songs.
There’s a major glow emanating from Obsession, and Tea Eater is keeping that light abuzz with a series of videos, the latest for album centerpiece, “The Taste”. Directed by Carissa Johnson, the animated lyric video captures Tea Eater’s creative and psychedelic energy, bringing Tarra Thiessen’s words to life and moving further out into the surreal.
Cincinnati, Ohio, grit-pop-based quartet Vacation has mastered its garage rock and pop delivery since forming in 2009. With eight albums under their belt, the group has stayed true to their sound and has only perfected their craft with each new release, as on their ninth album, Rare Earth, due out via Feel It Records on May 3rd.
Tex Patrello’s limited output since her debut EP has taken the best of contemporary DIY slowcore and doused it in a dizzying solution of soft-spoken vocals and off-the-wall production. Now, at long last, she’s back, debuting the first single, “Resident Evil,” off her debut album Minotaur, out May 2nd through View No Country (Bedlocked, Deadharrie).
On their aptly-titled new single "Sharpest Edge," Brooklyn punks Family Vision present a hard hitting left turn of a banger. Progressing from the prickly no wave inspired punk of Chop Shop, the quartet lean harder into the sticky pop hooks of that record, seamlessly combining the melodic elements with sharp, darting guitar lines.
