New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Post Radio has released his debut album, Counterfeits. This is the solo project of John Morton who has been performing and recording with several local musicians like Brendan Losch and Gia Margaret over the last decade.
The album’s lead single is called "Fuse" and is accompanied by the video below.
Psych Rock group Faux Furrs recently released a new single called "Worlds Made of Words". This is the first new music from the group since 2018’s "Canopy".
All proceeds from the sale of the single will be donated to the local charity Assata’s Daughters.
At the frontlines of the human-machine merging that music is currently experiencing is Boston duo Brevin Kim (Cal and Bren Paulhus), and the group shares the experience with its dual single release “i need water / he doesn’t love her.” Each single ventures to a place that represents each faction wholly: “i need water” drones and pounds away, with a distorted vocal flow machine-like; “he doesn’t love her” encapsulates wounded humanity, and the embers of love fanned by an electric guitar riff so warm. Brevin Kim explores with the tools of today, a world where emotion and resonance are deep within, and there is a great deal to mine, which it does well. Stream the dual singles here for a pair of gems very much of this age. – Rene Cobar
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Wil Brookhart put out his debut EP “Flight Risk” on June 18th 2020. With seven features, it’s a delicious amalgam of modern genres from R&B to lo-fi hip-hop to pop, even adding in a pinch of math rock. The Austin native, currently residing in Denton while studying double bass at UNT, stirs in his vast array of influences into a savory main course meal of mingled grooves and flavorful melodies. Yet just as each bite of “Flight Risk” tastes unique, it’s crowning achievement is keeping a consistent tone amid the eclecticism.
Any of the individual tracks are strong enough to be singles but “February” and “Summer Bleeding” do stand as out catchy summer morsels. Many voices can be heard on this record but Brookhart allows his music to naturally grow out beyond him, then crafts it to shape his distinct vision. Leila XY, who is featured on four out of the five tracks, consistently exudes clarity, grounding her performances with bright and buoyant vocal melodies. Lucas Wassmer soulfully harmonizes with her on “Prove Me Crazy”, as T.W.I.N. soon comes in rapping an emotional perspective on how one’s mindset is altered when away from loved ones. With help from Katie Butler, Brookhart’s own vocals sustain “Carrie”. While Leila XY and Butler close out the EP on the contemplative title track. As a composer, arranger, and player, Brookhart’s musical abilities are clearly evident but his ability to weave various genres, voices, and ingredients into a cohesive palette make him an even more exciting producer.
As current situations have made many artists have to drastically change their process, Brookhart and his compatriots were already creating and collaborating virtually. “Flight Risk” came together using the relatively new music streaming platform Quadio, which connects nationwide college students and facilitates artistic collaboration. All the features are university students, and in true college fashion the majority of the EP was written between 11:00 pm and 4:00 am. Polished mixing and mastering from Jamison McMackin, working under the name Glacier City Sound, majorly assist the contemporary and intentional feel, while cover art from Leah Bury (@leah.creative) grounds the work in a tranquil charm.
Overall, Brookhart’s debut finds itself snuggled somewhere in between Social House, Maggie Rogers, and Frank Ocean. As all these components come together, all I can say is…my compliments to the chef! Stream “Flight Risk” on all your favorite streaming platforms!
-Hayden Steckel
Video Dave has released a new album called Week 1560. The title is the reference the week of an individuals 30th birthday and was written on Dave’s 32nd birthday to reflect on the previous three years.
The album’s lead single is called "Tuesday" and is accompanied by the video below.
Gutartist Alex Bracy has released the fourth single, "Rain", from his forthcoming debut album. This is Alt Rock in its purist form and an emotionally raw track that features Alex on all instruments.
Emergent experimental electronic duo Glass Salt bill themselves as “the product of friendship, musical chemistry, and unmediated collaboration,” which well explains the delightful characteristics of debut single “what would you say.”Johann Diedrick’s soft twinkling synth waltzes upwards as Caylie Staples vocalizes seemingly three rooms away, endowing the project’s soundwith a distant yet accommodating atmosphere, something akin to the disorientation you might feel waking up from a pleasant afternoon nap. Furthermore, it’s easy to imagine Staples and Diedrick noodling about when listening to this effort; their relationship really shines, coloring this track in a warm, fuzzy glow. Give it a listen below and preorder their forthcoming release greetings ahead of its drop July 3rd.
There’s a bubbling defiance at the center of “The Fighter,” the new single by NYC-based art punk outfit Rich Girls. Against a forward-facing, march-inducing beat and heavy reverb electric guitar, bandleader Luisa Black’s vox maintains a steely defiance, embedding the track with an energy that’s both haunting and invigorating for the listener. Regarding the song, Black stated her inspiration came from the continued intolerance that preoccupied her thoughts throughout 2020: “Fuck bigots, it’s all I thought about this year. If it’s about anything, it’s about that.” As such, consider adding “The Fighter” to your direct action playlist, and purchasing a digital copy on Bandcamp — all proceeds of the track’s sales will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center — and give it a listen below.
Mark MacDonald, also known as Hollow River, has released a single slippery-fun that flows beautifully and crashes with alternative rock power. “Known To Lie” has a turn-of-the-millennium sonic innocence to it, in the alt-rock, power pop style of groups like Smash Mouth: the music makes you feel good, maybe like partying. MacDonald flows in each verse with plentiful charisma and allows for revved up electric guitars to do the rest of the talking when the choruses arrive. For a summer hit, the music and its theme should be an anthemic escape from the weight of the prior seasons, “Known To Lie” fits that criteria. Another weekend arrives in an unusual 2020, stream “Known To Lie” to get through it with a gleeful smile. – Rene Cobar, photo by Sergio P.
For those finding themselves feeling adrift amidst the various, simultaneous historical epochs we’re currently living through, the indie pop of Miserable Chillers might provide some necessary respite. New chilled bop “La nave del olvido” draws inspiration from a deep sea voyage that revealed plastic bags and trash among previously undiscovered marine life. In this sense, the track, which borrows its name from Jose Jose song that bandleader Miguel Gallego’s mother used to play frequently in his youth, feels like an oasis hidden from the outside world’s prying eyes; dulcet baroque pop meets the relaxed attitude of 80s yacht rock, congealing to a final product that feels both dreamy and present, music perfect for poolside listening and internal reflection. Stream or download it below — all proceeds from digital Bandcamp purchases of any Miserable chillers release today will be donated to Bed-Stuy Strong — and keep an eye out for Miserable Chiller’s debut LP Audience of Summer out August 7th (via Baby Blue).
Back in March Pop crooner Tommy Bravos released a new single called "Charming". This month he dropped a fantastic new version of the track featuring local Drag Queen Ari Gato.
The single is the first new music from Bravo since his 2019 debut album a Different Kind of Night.
Amo Amo have released their new EP Canta, a five-track collection of new psych pop, with all proceeds from Bandcamp sales going towards Black Lives Matter LA. The record includes the previously released title track and the diversity-celebrating song "Colors", along with "Missed Connection", a song about finding ways to bridge divisions between people in a world of increasing tensions. And because Amo Amo knows that lyrics alone don’t make a difference, they’ve committed to donating all of the sales on Bandcamp for Canta to Black Lives Matter LA to help lift up black voices across the community and the globe. Take a listen to the title track "Canta" below, and consider purchasing the album to stand with Amo Amo and support Black Lives Matter LA. – Will Sisskind
