A pleasant springlike sound permeates Jeremy Gustin’s electronica offerings on Mere Husk, the latest LP he’s recorded under The Ah moniker. Perhaps its the tactile percussive elements on tracks like “The Factory Girl” and “Watermelon Tears” that feel like a more grounded Animal Collective b-side, or the pleasant twang accompanying keys on “Just Relief” that resonate as charming and homegrown, the type of soundtrack for a weekend bike ride around Greenpoint or a walk in Prospect Park. Regardless of which specific instrumental accents endow the record with its bouncing, verdant energy, the summation of Gustin’s varied synthetic process makes for a colorful release, one that showcases a keen ear for abstraction, creative melodies, and off-kilter sounds. Give it a listen below before the rest of the album drops this Friday (on NNA Tapes), or attend the album listening party at Step Bone Cut on February 1st.

The wicked, envious crooner is an old character in the book of rhythm and blues, and Sean Carroll is the latest performer to don the costume. New aptly titled single “Jealousy” embodies a lasting R&B tradition, made more contemporary by Carroll’s inclination towards confrontational guitar work, yet with distinct classic influences — still present are a roaming organ groove and a sauntering percussive beat. Fans of more recent R&B outfits like the Black Keys and Jack White will find “Jealousy” accommodatingly vintage and chock full of soul — give it a listen below (preferably with cigarette and whiskey in hand).

Memories have a way of shifting and transfiguring the past, creating picture shows in the mind that, while fictionalized, are still “based on a true story.” Such mental Kodaks inform the track “Sideways” by NYC-based the Gloomies, a collection of acid-bathed footnotes, rife with recollections of black lights and clear perfumes. It’s a fitting tune given the Gloomies’ recent relocation to Brooklyn from Southern California that the first single from the project’s forthcoming LP Romance would be a psych-pop yarn from their last summer; crunchy vox and meandering guitars abound on this track, placing it squarely between the sounds of artists like Ariel Pink and the thematic overtones of Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice. Listen to this tastefully far-out track below. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Album rollout cycles have become increasingly creative in recent years — while 2020 is very much still in its waxing period, we tip our hats to Hillary Capps’ forthcoming album, The Way Back Home, for its slow unveiling in coordination with our sister Moon. Releasing in four parts in tandem with the four lunar cycles (new, waxing, full, and waning) and over the course of the year’s first five months, the tracks themselves slowly illuminate Capps’ penchant for lush indie pop and introspective lyricism. Home’s inaugural New Moon cycle presents listeners with two tracks (“Slow Motion” and “You Could Be The Moon,”), songs centered around beginnings, both setting the stage with their respective rising, dramatic builds, offset by spacey guitar work and shuffling grooves. Those interested in following the record’s rollout can presave it on Spotify, and those seeking a celestial listening experience can catch Hillary Capps at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2, on January 25th.

Godspeed, the latest offering by NYC indie quartet Shadow Year, is an ode to the fast-changing nature of city living, a collection of vignettes expressed through synth and guitar-centric indie, backed by instrumentation that encapsulates an energy chaotic and wistful. Whether the band is recounting seeing your crush while waiting for the J Train on opener “For The Weekend,” or longing for the unattainable on the release’s title track, the EP is bound together by the quotidian, universal struggles of living in New York, underscored by a swelling, occasionally discordant playing. A healthy dose of contemporary punk, slacker, and post-rock, Godspeed’s sound is expressive and raw, yet never unhinged, a collection of tunes for anyone who’s keeping it together under pressure (which is, to say, most of us). Listen below, and see Shadow Year at Trans Pecos tonight, January 23rd. —Connor Beckett McInerney

National Sawdust’s The Revolution is a vanguard series of exciting artistry, a monthly performance that highlights New York musicians pushing their respective genre boundaries in new and innovative ways. This month’s show is no exception, featuring sets from NYC’s very own OJ in the Yams, donSMITH, and Alita Moses, three artists who have found their own ways to energize classic sounds in novel fashions.

For instance, while instrumentally-driven hip-hop outfit OJ in the Yams find their footing in lush R&B soundscapes, their implementation of equal parts rap, vocal performance, and improvisational jazz components creates an auditory tapestry of smooth soundscapes.

Likewise, rapper and performer donSMITH’s utilization of classic hip-hop sampling techniques, paired with a gritty vox and contemporary perspective breathes new life into the genre’s earliest formula; his track “Penfeld” carries the torch of NYC’s well-vetted rap history while paying homage to its true roots.

Rounding off the evening’s more visceral performers is Alita Moses, whose own brand of jazz vocal performance feels just at home against a contemporary instrumental backing as it does against a three piece ensemble, always effervescent, occasionally playful, and punctuated by an ever-present range. Get your tickets here, and get down in Brooklyn this Thursday for three tremendous performances. 

Punk quartet BLOOM bask in noise and the experimental on their demo release, creating a release that’s granular and rough around the edges, even for the genre in which they operate. It’s what makes BLOOM DEMO 2019 such a compelling listen, a collection of tracks that operates within a hardcore discourse while simultaneously pushing the envelope — from their Merzbowesque invocation on “Intro” to the gain-heavy “Horizontal,” there’s an equal attention paid to intense punk performance and sonic manipulation alike. The end result is a visceral, experimental LP, which even if “just a demo,” showcases a band that’s never risk adverse, one that’s willing and ready to dive headfirst into black sludge and white noise alike. Give it a listen below, and catch BLOOM at Saint Vitus on January 22nd. —Connor Beckett McInerney

For those lacking Vitamin D during the balmy season, nine out of ten doctors* recommend a quick injection of sunny, jangling rock n roll. To that end, do yourself a favor and stream Lois, the latest offering by NJ-based garage band Shred Flinstone. Never too discordant and propelled forward by a healthy dose of power chords (and the occasional classic film sample), the record’s a bright listen, bolstered by sweet twee vocals and clean guitar production; standout “Nemo” winds and kicks with driving drumming, laying down an energetic track able to kick any seasonal affective disorder. Listen below, and see Shred shred at the Meatlocker on February 22nd (trust us, it’s worth crossing the Hudson River for).

*not real doctors obviously

Contemporary electronic music has never been as delectably weird as it has been this past decade, with producers and artist more inclined towards incorporating strange, tactile textures into their craft. I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y is the newest entry into this canon, a minimal debut by NYC duo Minutes Unlimited; with the right amount of tingle-inducing sonic accents, a healthy dose of synth and static, and an ever-wobbling bass presence, the two person group artfully craft an idiosyncratic sound. Replete with a layered sound that’s engaging but never too heavy, I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y is a carefully balanced LP that will immediately resonate with fans of esoteric acts like Vegyn or SOPHIE — give it a listen below.

The story of Rorschached, the latest offering by NYC indie four piece Miracle Sweepstakes, involves several rounds of demoing tracks, a zip folder entailing twenty five songs, a failed basement recording session and a power outage inducing snowstorm. Three eventful years later, Miracle Sweepstakes offer their tie dyed effort to us, a psych-tinged LP of bright late 60s vocals and riffing abound. Fans of Unknown Mortal Orchestra and post Oracular Spectacular MGMT will appreciate the vintage depth of sound present on each of the album’s eleven tracks paired with the band’s inclination for contemporary songwriting — standout tracks “Black Bouquet” and opener “Forcefield” artfully split this difference, delivering lush listens and warm instrumental vamps. Give it a full listen below.

While Brooklyn shoegaze newcomers Minaxi gear up for the release of their debut LP Khwab, last year’s similarly monosyllabic Zidd is a heavy, pedal-friendly extended play, a release that doesn’t eschew melodic, alt rock sounds and the muted, introspective vocals we’ve come to expect of the subgenre. EP standout “In The Blur” hits all the right notes; grungy vox, heavy effects, and the right amount of somber sweetness to induce a healthy degree of ennui. A good tune for an evening M train commute, give it a spin below ahead of Minaxi’s Alphaville show on January 15th.

Emerging five years after the joint release of double albums ! and ?, Sean Cronin’s Very Good bursts back onto the New York scene with the timely release of new record Adulthood. The ragtag band of banjoleles, clarinet, plectrum resophonic guitar and tuba belie Cronin’s New Orleans jazz background, superimposed over contemporary indie-inspired songwriting, freak folk gang vocals, and forays into the theatric; in short, there’s no shortage of disparate threads Very Good has weaved into this impressively diverse nine track offering. As so much of this LP was inspired by the “several musical lifetimes” lived prior to its release, Adulthood very much lives up to its namesake, a sonic memoir that represents differing influences that magically congeals into a cohesive, functioning album, a smattering of eclectic folk and chamber pop that delights and surprises the listener at every turn. Stream it below, and catch the band at the Ace Hotel on January 19th. —Connor Beckett McInerney