“Pop-adjacent” artist Blush FM’s newest EP Project A is a sparse, at times haunting affair, replete with moody, minimalistic synths and a powerful central vocal performance. It’s the type of release that exudes confidence, one that highlights Blush’s dramatic vox against quietly brooding synthetic swells; the most high-key element of the Project A’s five songs would be a tactile-but-understated 808 that propels the tracks forward, and the occasional hair-raising resonance-heavy synth, which lend additional drama and intrigue the project’s overall sound. Fans of artists like FKA Twigs and SHAED will feel right at home with this extended play; stream single "Move" below, and catch Blush FM at Mercury Lounge on December 5th.

New York indie rock duo Dog Petter bill their new video “Sucktitutde” as “what Lord of the Rings would look like if it cost $20 to make,” although one could argue it looks a bit like a poor man’s Skyrim. Soundtracked by noodling guitar lines and predominantly soft vocals, band members Emmitt and Brian embark on an epic voyage through Middle Earth (or the woods of New Jersey), leveling up their stats and befriending a God-like dog along the way. Humorous visuals aside, Dog Petter’s sound is somewhere between the muted repose of bands like Duster and The Antlers and the emotionally explosive elements of northeast emo outfits like Snowing, finding a happy medium between the quiet and cacophonous; watch the video below, and stream their most recent effort Asleep in the Heat here. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Despite my aversion to driving, pollution, and traffic inherent to owning a car, New York rhythm-and-blues quartet the Jay Vons create music that makes me wish I had a set of wheels of my own. Their recently release LP The Word is immediately evocative of yesteryear’s Mo-Town sound, a grooving collection of songs that would perfectly soundtrack a Sunday drive on the BQE. From the record’s opening organ, to the horn-hits on misty-eyed love song “Changing Seasons,” to the spring box percussive churn of “Keep On Moving,” the Jay Vons bring the heat, laying down soulful call-and-response vocals and solid gold brass lines amidst warmly vintage guitar tones. And despite the band being beholden to the tropes of classic RnB, The Word never feels kitschy or forced, resonating instead as a contemporary take on an old-yet-still-kicking musical tradition, a record that excels with many of the instruments and sonic textures listeners are are already well acquainted with. Listen below, and catch the band at Union Pool on December 1st, alongside Holy Hive and Masino. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Northern New Jersey’s Well Wisher have essentially perfected the art of the asynchronous indie punk song, creating melodic, exciting tunes that are marked by deeply melancholic lyrics. Their most recent release This Is Fine contains ten, primarily upbeat jams, filled with tension-building guitars and dramatic major-minor chord resolutions, all set against by front woman Natalie Newbold’s bright vox and sad lyrics. It’s the ideal music for club catharsis, the type of music that induces immediate hype in a live setting while providing space to scream out the words (in a room full of strangers) as a space to bask in shared sorrow. Stream this fun duality below, and catch Well Wisher at the House of Independents on November 29th, supporting Beach Rats, Speedy Ortiz, Restorations, and American Trappist.

New York duo Shake the Baby Til the Love Comes Out have no problem making disconcerting-yet-engaging math rock (as their slightly unsavory name belies). Their new LP Growth and Healing Through Bringing Others Down continues the stumbling momentum of last year’s in a pretty suit; sludgy melodic riffs and absolutely massive drum fills on single “For All the Days That I Am Happy” shows Shake the Baby has no problem letting the lead out while seamlessly switching rhythmic gears. Revel in the noise below, and catch them at Trans Pecos on November 27th for their album release show.

It’s possible you’re already acquainted with Brooklyn-based musician Saara Untracht-Oakner by way of indie four-piece tour de force BOYTOY, but under the name SUO she steps out as a solo act to lay down grooving, tactile indie rock on new track “Unsatisfied Blood.” Muted guitars and atmospheric wah-wahs underlay Untracht-Oakner’s post-punk vocal delivery, drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists including David Byrne, Prince, and Patti Smith; the song (and its lyrics detailing insatiable bloodlust) serve as a nice score for the music video in which SUO engages in nocturnal bloodsports, Man Bites Dog style. Check it out below, and catch her at The Broadway on December 14th. 

Sipper’s debut Adam Driver EP came out earlier this year and properly introduced us to Joe Beerman’s hushed, almost secretive songwriting and spare indie rock, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting in new single before we wrap 2019. Opting for a more acoustic, room filling sound, recently unveiled track “Ghost” carries much of the same easy listenability of the project’s previous release; Beerman is still cranking out catchy hooks coupled with minimalistic instrumentation while exploring different, increasingly psyche-tinged instrumentation. Better yet, as the first single off the band’s next, as-of-yet unnamed EP (out next year), it builds appropriate hype for those of us clamoring for more Sipper music (present company very much included); listen to it below. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York electronic act Acidhead mix elements of pop-punk, new classical, and synthwave on new LP Distractions, delivering a strange, exciting effort for fans of the experimental. Between pulsing 808s and dissonant keys, multi-instrumentalist Patrick McGee croons in heavy autotune, crafting tracks that resonate with the listener as both emotional detached and deeply lachrymose; peppered in among this primarily electronic backbone are massive guitar riffs, sax lines, and meandering piano playing, all of which contribute to the esoteric nature of the release. The final output reads as the lovechild of Angelo Badalamenti and Yung Lean (in the best way possible); stream it below, and catch Acidhead at Knitting Factory on 11.27.

“All these plans, in God’s hands, what do they mean?” It’s with this uneasy question that New York slacker rock outfit Brush begin their new EP, Teenage Time Machine, indicative of the cautious worldview the band embodies over the course of the releases’s five tunes. Trudging drum beats, melodic, gain-heavy guitar lines, and a slack-jawed vocal delivery immediately conjure associations with 90s genre progenitors such as Pavement and Silver Jews, but Brush carve out a space of their own through of-the-times lyricism that embodies our contemporary cultural zeitgeist. They’re equally comfortable posing existential quandaries as they are reminiscing on love and life, pivoting from the uncertain queries of title track opener “Teenage Time Machine” to sunny, melodic riffs on tracks like “Brian” and closer “Chelsea,” a feedback-heavy drive that concludes this extended play on a high note. Regardless of Brush’s ambivalence about the present, they won’t hesitate to describe things as they see them, marching confidently into an unwritten and terrifying future; it is that sincerity that will define Teenage Time Machine as one of 2019’s standout local releases. Stream the EP here, and watch their new music video below. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Rock revival rascals Mail the Horse have no problem acknowledging their classic roots while simultaneously thumbing their noses at the past. The band’s forthcoming self-titled record is explicitly influenced by Sticky Fingers-era Rolling Stones, but rather than embrace the youthful hedonism seemingly inherent to rock and roll, the New York quintet flip the script, both lyrically and instrumentally. Many of the songs off their upcoming self-titled effort explore maturity and self-reflection (as the band nears its decade in existence), with single “Gimme Gimme” starting off on a “Gloria” by Van Morrison romp before turning relaxed and introspective; driving riffs take a backseat to psychedelic, meandering strums midway through the track, imploring a moment of peace before diving headfirst back into the cacophony. Get amped (responsibly) when the album drops tomorrow, and during the 24 hour lead-up, stream "Gimme Gimme" below; plus, be sure to Mail the Horse later this year at The Saint in Asbury Park on December 15th. Photo by Shervin Lainez

Audrey Kang made waves in 2015 with cult debut LP Floaters, a lush, indietronic project replete with tactile guitars, dissonant electronic keys, and lurid songwriting. Kang returned earlier this year with a full band for Lightning Bug’s sophomore effort, October Song, further delivering off-kilter earworms and killer experimental indie pop. Title track “October Song, pt. ii” is a cool demonstration of the outfit’s penchant for soft, melodious songwriting and synth-driven, easy-going grooves; stream it below, and catch Lightning Bug on November 24th at Trans-Pecos, supporting Bethlehem Steel, Ben Seretan, and Sinai Vessel. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York soft-rock quartet Office Culture liken the experience of listening to their new record to “walking into a beloved old bar in a neighborhood where you no longer live,” but it is more comparable (in this reviewer’s opinion” to a comfortable, rainy Sunday night spent at home, away from the clamor of city streets. Throughout their new LP A Life of Crime, clean synths, an easygoing percussive drive, the occasional wailing horn, and singer Winston Cook-Wilson’s laissez-faire vocal delivery congeal to embed the entire record with a relaxed energy, but there’s never a dull moment. From the moody instrumental interplay on tracks like “Diamonds” and “Hard Times in the City,” to the playful bop of “Home on High” and “Parade,” Office Culture lay down a steady groove that will immediately resonate with fans of classic pop rock outfits like Steely Dan or more contemporary fusion-focused groups like Parcels and Whitney. Stream it below, and catch them on November 20th at Elsewhere supporting Wild Nothing. —Connor Beckett McInerney