Porno Portal to Florida is a duo effort by guitarist/vocalist Joseph Luna and drummer/vocalist Joanna Almeida. The music of PPTF is a twisted conglomerate of thrash, post hardcore, prog metal, and DIY punk, where each song is an intense journey of aggressive musicality, and a steadfast commitment to personal discipline. Their newest release, the grimacing self-titled seven track EP, flies by in its initial run time, but has a whole lot of baggage to unpack. The hardcore duo have put out an exciting release of pure noise and controlled chaos that you can stream below. -Charley Ruddell
New England
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Experimental duo Mellodrone emerge with compelling debut EP
Fresh to Boston from Puerto Rico, Mellodrone duo Ian Vidal and vocalist Laura Calderón have released a compelling debut EP that channels the melodically ambient atmosphere of French noir and avant-pop. The three track EP is a breeze of fresh, but stoic pop music, reminiscent of the cultured, academic backbone of bands like Stereolab and Broadcast. As they prepare for their splash into the Boston music scene, get familiar with the new wave stylings of Mellodrone below. -Charley Ruddell
New England
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Taste the punch with BONG WISH
The debut EP from Boston’s Mariam Saleh, the sole force behind BONG WISH, is lush with evocative imagery and sound of the late 60s. Saleh’s darkly hippie-chic and mystical, bubbly songs are a nostalgic reminder of a time in pop music where fantasy and the occult were trendy. When late 60s pop culture was soaked in the Manson family and LSD, popular music absorbed the culture’s weirdness. Bong Wish is a byproduct of this time, with its airy orchestral arrangements and spooky charm. Get lost in the weirdness of Bong Wish below. -Charley Ruddell
Portland
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PREMIERE: Telecommuter – “Can’t Get Back to Sleep”
There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of smooth and silky electro-R&B sounds, and that’s exactly what Telecommuter is dishing out with his debut single and video for "Can’t Get Back to Sleep."
Telecommuter is the solo project of composer and producer Alexander Margitich, who also holds a Berklee College of Music background in contemporary composition and production, as well as quite a bit of choral singing and improvisational jazz guitar training. Margitich’s background has translated itself seamlessly into the electronic arrangements he’s been working with recently. "Can’t Get Back to Sleep" is laid over a slow tempo, moody electro beat, as Margitich gives a mellow and slightly sultry delivery of his vocals. The track was inspired by a fit of jet lag and insomnia that struck him on a family trip, the experience contributing to much of the song’s moodiness.
For the video, Margitich collaborated with his wife, fashion designer and photographer Lina Michal. Together they visually matched the mercurial air of the song with the abstract and ambient carnival shots.
"Can’t Get Back to Sleep" is the only Telecommuter track you can find online, but there’s a chance to hear the rest of what he’s been working on during his debut show on 1.11 at the Turn Turn Turn with Prolly Knot, Indigoe and SunSon. Watch the video for "Can’t Get Back to Sleep" below.
Toronto
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Makk Mikkael – Explore your emotions with this ambient synth pop!
Get lost in this ambient synth pop from brand new artist Makk Mikkael. Very interesting production of this tune “Jungle” will have you mesmerized as her voice grips all of your emotions and rolls them into one. According to Makk the feelings she had while creating this tune “compare to being underwater…so close to the surface to take a breath but not close enough.” Find Makk Michael in the Jungle aka her brand new website! – Kris Gies
NYC
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Gingerlys talk about guitar pedals on Delicious Audio
Describing themselves as "pure ear candy," Gingerlys provide catchy and hazy dream pop tunes. The female-fronted, five-piece indie pop band began when guitarist Matt Richards started sharing acoustic demos of his pop songs with his fellow bandmates in his Valley Stream, New York basement. The band’s guitarist Matthew Richards recently talked to our sister blog Delicious Audio about the band’s sounds and the pedals used to create it, check out the Q&A here.
Philadelphia
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Krust Toons: “An Unwritten Rule…” by Tedd Hazard
Krust Toons: "An Unwritten Rule…" by Tedd Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations and animation shorts HERE.
NYC
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Beechwood release new LP 1/26, play Elsewhere on 1/20
NYC psychedelic glam-punk rockers Beechwood are set to release their latest record “Songs From the Land of Nod” on January 26th via Alive Naturalsound. Building a reputation for reckless and disorderly behavior (which covers the punk label well), their sound draws equally from the psych and glam rock realms. Stylistic elements of both Marc Bolan and Daniel Ash (in particular his soft vocal style) can be heard in many of the tracks. Thickly layered background voices juxtapose sweetly against garage drums and guitars, leading to frequent psych-out jams. Current single “C F” (streaming below) makes full use of all these aspects while adding slide guitar and keyboards into the mix. This easy psychedelia and vintage sounding looseness puts Beechwood in a sonic world not too distant from the ones inhabited by modern classics like Foxygen and Tame Impala. The band will be opening for NY Dolls legend David Johansen at Elsewhere on 1/20, a show that also features Deli cover stars Baby Shakes and celebrated DJ Jonathan Toubin. –Dave Cromwell
Philadelphia
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New Music Video: “Streets Dept” – Moor Mother x Mental Jewelry
An ominous bass rumble bubbles to the surface in Moor Mother x Mental Jewelry‘s "Street Dept," before angular guitar runs slice through the atmospherics. Found on the duo’s joint venture, Crime Waves (Don Giovanni), last year, the distorted footage of the artists is viewed through a crimson-filtered lens, contributing to the sinister presence maintained throughout the project’s latest offering. Step into what might just be the unlikeliest of street anthems.
NYC
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Hypoluxo bring their dreamy indie at Elsewhere 1.14
Usually shoegaze is an all or nothing mentality, but Hypoluxo merely dip their feet in for a dreamy wash. The Brooklyn band’s sound hits pretty straightforward, a little mellow with a baritone croon somewhere between Joy Division’s Ian Curtis and The National’s Matt Berninger, but the tasteful add-ins of sparkling guitar arpeggios and noisy swells give an extra coziness to Hypoluxo’s sound that makes you want to curl up inside it—perfect for recovering for the extreme cold that started the year. Catch the band’s first gig of 2018 on January 14th opening for Wildhoney alongside Big Bliss and Fruit & Flowers. – Cameron Carr
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Bury the Pit” – King Azaz
Last March, as part of Weathervane Music’s Recording Workshop series, King Azaz laid down a new track, called “Bury the Pit.” A guitar lead wades into drum-swaying currents as the earnest vocals float over top. There’s a grimy, groove element at play, sending out a charge of adrenaline in calculated, rough-around-the-edges pulses. That raw energy, refined into a strategic attack, maximizes its impact.
NYC
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Pom Pom Squad strips songs to emotional core for solo set at Mercury Lounge 1.14
Pom Pom Squad’s music is dynamic and driving, but at the heart of the band is Mia Berrin’s sincere and emotionally vulnerable songwriting. Littered with stirring lyrics like “you said you wanted to take me away / so I packed a bag but you never came,” Berrin captures heartache with honesty and accuracy. The power of distorted guitars and crashing drums can help tell the story but her voice always leads. On January 14th, you can hear that songwriting take center focus when Pom Pom Squad plays a solo set at Mercury Lounge. – Cameron Carr