Mars Motel blends vibrant indie-rock guitar riffs with the ambient atmospheres of dream pop to create a sound that is both edgy and emotional, light and heavy, dangerously infectious, and ultimately fun. The choruses of the group’s latest single “Coming Up For Air” are super-charged with energy and show off the band’s late ‘90s and early ‘00s influences. The poise and intensity of the group’s music feels like a crossover between The Verve and Young the Giant, classy and perfectly suited for festivals. The band will be releasing its debut album Passenger X later this year and has a scheduled performance at Pianos on May 30th. Check out the single is streaming below. – Rene Cobar

By the time you hear the vocals of Obil frontman Miguel Martinez in the band’s debut single “Your Name” (streaming), you have already been engulfed by the track’s sonic atmosphere. Faint electric guitar notes flutter around in a whirlwind of synth parts, all to the rhythm of an exquisitely groovy drum beat. The bass on the track seems to melt in the ears of the listener as the song progresses. Martinez’s smooth vocals resemble those of Kings of Convenience lead singer Erlend Øye, both sharing an alluring composure. The group has released the single just in time for the summer, a catchy song that signals good things to come from the band. – Rene Cobar

The music of New Jersey’s Fence is the sonic equivalent to a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak: it is seasoned enough to have an intense flavor to it and raw enough to feel tender. The soft plucking of guitar strings that open up their track “Quidditch” (streaming, from their 2018 split EP with Aqui) doesn’t prepare you for the punk beat-driven feast of screaming solos and vocals that dominate the song. Still, the surprises are welcome, and the feeling of comradery in the harmonies and well-arranged instrumentation underscore the passion that seeps through the band’s music. Fence has been covering the music of Neutral Milk Hotel as of late, and their take on it in their new EP is worth a listen for fans of the psych-folk group. Check out "Quidditch" below. – Rene Cobar