“Pulp,” the new single from The Twindows serves as a haunting/humorous reminder of the inescapable nature of the current political environment. Our very own Tedd Hazard (Krust Toons) created this video, which hovers between a playful Halloween-centric aesthetic and the downward spiral of panic and dread that the news cycle can create. Maybe it’s best to view this all as some bizzaro alternative reality.

Certain aesthetics may survive from one generation to the next, but in the process often undergo a metamorphosis as a culture’s approach toward making music changes. We have become gifted multi-taskers – all the different roles we have to take on to make a living wage, attention spans doled out between phones and friends, apps running side by side, our browsers buried deep in open tabs. Our ability as time-shifters to bounce through multiple worlds at a given moment, to pick up and pause a multitude of running stories – these features of our daily lives are teased out in the works of Philly sound maverick Ada Babar. Babar’s music conveys a sublime terror, a highly technical and often hilarious succession of musical splendor laid out before a lush backdrop. His newest release, Nino Tomorrow (Favourite Tapes), is a split EP with Palm frontman Kasra Kurt. The first half of the album is Babar, transitioning via a phone call sequence midway through to Kurt’s laidback, drifting contribution. The production value is painstakingly consistent throughout, maintaining a sense of space and tone as the songs progress. In many cases, split releases give the impression that the album is a converging point for two distinct worlds, but on Nino Tomorrow, both artists are enmeshed within the other’s sonic palate, resulting in music that feels alien yet wholly relatable. – Josh Kelly

Former River City Extension frontman Joe Michelini’s latest slew of songs is a vibrant tribute to Americana-infused indie rock, romance, and self-determination.

Opening with the effervescent sound of “Soot,” Amuse-oreille, Vol. 1 seduces its listener via visceral guitar licks, yearning, melodic vocals, and straight-forward lyricism. As Michelini and Hemming’s Candice Martello croon, “Things get rough when you don’t know who you are”; American Trappist’s audience is reminded just how vital honesty is, not only with others, but with yourself as well. “Soot” is an homage to self-discovery and the trials and triumphs that go hand in hand with embracing your inner truth. Like early aughts Drug Rug meets The Babies’ Our House on the Hill, the sonic energy of it smolders, with each line reaffirming the track’s pathos with urgency.

“Fear Nothing” gradually swells to a lush and rhythmic ode to the joy that can be found in uncertainty on the brink of new beginnings. Adequately titled, the EP’s second offering is an uplifting, yet practical anthem that urges listeners to seize the day. Giving way to the bouncing keys of “Heaven,” Michelini builds the tale gradually, before it tears away at the seams with distorted riffs and reverb that eventually disintegrate into “Fireworks.” Channeling his inner Springsteen and Walt Whitman, the artist shares what feels like a love song, penned specifically for our beloved Philadelphia. Vibrant, catchy, and the perfect balance between innovation and nostalgia, “Fireworks” is a realist’s portrait of the contradictions, complexities, and brash beauty of the American Dream.

American Trappist’s songs are sincere, subtly sentimental (in a good way), and absolutely memorable. Amuse-oreille, Vol. 1 will fill your heart with warmth and light as fall gives way to winter. – Dianca London