It’s hard not to be bitter in this right wing, late capitalist hellscape that we call waking life. Folks with what is deemed “nonessential employment” (including this beleaguered writer) worry about automation, and the crushing weight of political inertia makes it difficult to take action against the seemingly insurmountable challenges of our time. No one understands that better than Brooklyn garage duo Groupie, who, on their newest EP Validated find a way to contextualize our malaise-ridden zeitgeist over the course of four, fast and loose, fuzzed out tracks. From screaming into the void about an uncertain future on the sinister “5 Year Plan,” to embracing a devil-may-care, burn-it-all-down perspective on closer “Cannibal Wave,” Groupie’s punk-tinged rock is very much of the times, expressing anger not just at the powers that be, but at a society-wide fatigue of resisting a political machine that has rigged the game in its favor. Regardless of the frustration, Validated remains as an authentic discordant representation of a post-2016 mindset, reminding the listener that there is power in anger, that you are not alone in your nihilism, and that rage can be a unifying force in questioning (and hopefully changing) the world we live in.

Groupie will deliver their subversive sound to Elsewhere’s Zone One on Jun 17th, alongside Miss June and THICK. In the meanwhile, you can stream Validated from the comfort of you own home. –Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Jeanette D. Moses

Brooklyn-by-way-of-Burlington’s Little Slugger exists at the intersection of indie rock, rockabilly, and surf rock, creating music from a DIY show in Westworld. Their recent single “You’re on Your Own,” the debut track from forthcoming LP I Want To Live Here Forever, is full of unexpected musical twists, from the introduction of vocalist Sam Bevet’s drawling, baritone vocals, to a metamorphosis from high gain synths to jangling guitars, to a sliding, Surfaris-inspired shredding breakdown. And while the listenability of “You’re on Your Own” derives in part from this unpredictability, these varied instrumental components coalesce over the track’s nearly four minute run time to create Americana that’s weird in the best way, the sonic equivalent of the Further bus chugging down Interstate 80 and incorporating all Statesian influences it happens upon along the way. Hop aboard, and stream the single below. –Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Meera Jagroop

At the core of Hangnail, the debut EP by New York multi instrumentalist Shanna Polley (known professionally as Snakeskin) is a feeling of modulation; the way Polley shifts between major and minor keys, how the vocals change from soft-spoken mumble to an explosive falsetto, and how the effort’s instrumentation goes from clean to discordant, all contribute to a feeling of unease throughout the release’s six tracks. In doing so, Snakeskin plays to its strengths in a dynamic quality, balancing tender lyrical attributes against crunchy, lofi production, creating a release that’s both hard and soft, tender and heavy. It’s a defiantly iconic effort that demonstrates Polley’s ability to find balance in the storm. Stream it below, and catch them live at Mercury Lounge on May 13th, performing alongside Hypoluxo and Nanami Ozone. –Connor Beckett McInerney

NYC indie dance duo argonaut&wasp lay down vintage sensuality on new release “Composure,” a smooth, sample friendly ’80s vamp. Described by some as “the perfect soundtrack to New York City,” the Burlington-via-Brooklyn outfit captures vibes emblematic of the Big Apple’s past and present; their latest single is as much Oliver Stone’s Wall Street than it is Katja Blichfeld’s High Maintenance, a synth-heavy midnight interlude that’s neither old nor new. What makes “Composure” such an engaging listen lies in argonaut&wasp’s ability to round out the track’s more treble-heavy components – there’s jangly guitar riffs and pitch-shifted samples abound, but they never distract from the urbane quality of its keyboard backbone. It gives the song a dark, almost muted quality, marked by a palpable energy that lies just beneath the surface, the type of tune you could jam to both start and end your night. Listen below, and catch them at their Rough Trade on May 22nd. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Let the antipathy wash over you on Superblonde’s new record Stay Dumb, an eight track hardcore symposium on fatalism and self-doubt. From fire starter “Learning To Burn’s” introductory lyrics (“our lives are over”) to the allegorical title track “Stay Dumb” (“I’m… like a fly on a sundial with no wings, no real desire to leave”) to shredded closer “Chüb,” the scope of Superblonde’s philosophical outlook comes at the behest of frontman Ryan Richardson’s shrewd, meticulous lyrics. While the content is often bleak, a close reading shows Richardson’s worldview is at times ambivalent, recognizing the difficulty of change, in both a personal and cultural capacity, but acknowledging it is possible. Parred with floor tom destroying percussion and ear ringing guitar work, Stay Dumb is a cathartic album for the increasingly uncertain times we live in. Stream it below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Most of the tracks on Darf Yader clock in under three minutes, but from starting pistol “Greata The Sweata” Local Teen is off at breakneck speeds, driving white knuckled towards the beach – carried by the momentum of fuzzy melodic punk. Wont to avoid an easily cohesive product, however, Darf Yader sees the Portland-based project veering into other genre territories, from “Everything Is Shit’s” self-effacing slacker rock to shuffling folk on “Coward’s Way Out,” replete with an echoing melodica solo. This is to be expected by a band that indicates in their website’s manifesto that “music genres are fucking useless” and embraces “self expression” first and foremost. Appropriately so, Darf Yader a record that’s hard to pin down, but held together by an unending iconoclastic energy and an acid washed aesthetic. Check it out below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Sipper’s Joe Beerman is, as the lyrics of his new track suggests, a modern man – his voice has the breathy quality of Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam with the wandering, occasionally growl adjacent vocal delivery of Stephen Malkmus. Channeled simultaneously over stumbling, guitar driven indie, these elements give his new single “OMG” the quality of a hushed secret you weren’t supposed to hear; the song is dripping with an intimacy that’s as authentic as it is explosive. As its accompanying visual suggests, it’s the perfect soundtrack to a party you don’t want to be at, a fun indie romp wrapped up in malaise. Watch the video premiere below, and be sure to catch Sipper’s debut EP, out today (April 10th) on Invertebrate. – Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

You guys know the book Misery by Stephen King, right? The one where a novelist is captured by a crazed superfan and forced to write her a novel while chained up in Colorado? Well, New York multi-genre singer-songwriter Bobby Long clearly has a penchant for King’s work, with his newest music video “Nautical” a gallows humor interpretation of said story – except in this case, Long plays the lunatic, capturing and imprisoning his friend and producer Jack Dawson. While the video is an entire production unto itself, its bleakly hilarious visuals – where Long forces Dawson to play a concert to a sordid collection of mannequins and goats – repurpose the normally heartfelt lyricism of “Nautical” to comic effect; particularly, the tune’s chorus of “I’ll be alone with you” reads entirely differently in its new context. I won’t spoil its ending; watch the video below, and be sure to check out the rest of Long’s most recent studio effort, SULTANS, out now on Compass Records. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Australia-by-way-of-Brooklyn artist Gabbi Coenen (known professionally as RVBY MY DEAR) lays down a not-so-quiet storm of her new single, “Draw.” The product of stress-induced sleep paralysis, “Draw” finds its strength in Coenen’s economy of movement: her confidence, as a songwriter and vocalist, resonates during the track’s introductory sequence, where Coenen’s stillness and cold crooning weaves daftly between minimalist keys and reverb-heavy claps. This isn’t to say the entirety of Coenen’s performance is based around minimalism. Rather, the careful slow build of tension over the tune’s three and a half minutes has a tendency to wash over the listener in waves of increasing intensity – similar to how water mists, then finally drenches Coenen in its music video. This drama inherent to RVBY MY DEAR’s performance is engaging, never overwhelming, and overall a deeply satisfying experience. Catch the premiere of her new video below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo by Ebru Yildiz

A post-modern philosophy informs “Shapes & Colors,” the latest single by new wave duo Sailor Boyfriend. The product of Andy Waldron and Alex Mercuri’s joint effort to comprehend the absurdity of modern existence, “Shapes” finds the two Jersey City multi-instrumentalists channeling an existential angst into blissful dance-punk – reacting not with scorn, but with joyous celebration against the Meaningless Void. Waldron’s four-on-the-floor percussion weaves around Mercuri’s syncopated guitar work, delivering a solid four minute jam accentuated by gang vocals and references to Samuel Beckett. Overall, what makes “Shapes & Colors” such an enjoyable listen is the realism of Sailor Boyfriend’s worldview that, though our lives may seem a Sisyphisian struggle, there’s still space dance ourselves clean of fatalism, even if for one fleeting moment.

“Shapes & Colors” is the title track of Sailor Boyfriend’s forthcoming sophomore effort, out April 12th on Make Believe Records. Take a listen below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo via thesmallsoviet

It’s hard not to smile when listening to “Crocodilian,” a self-described “little indie bop” by Brooklyn synthpop artist Tatum Gale. It’s an accurate descriptor, given the track’s shuffling measure, it’s kitschy, bright keys, and Gale’s honest lyricism about relationships and, well, crocodiles. The track is accompanied by a music video that’s equally heartfelt, with the artist hitchhiking his way around the city with the help of a friendly anthropomorphized croc; while the visual is silly, it demonstrates Gale’s willingness to bare his soul in a way that’s truly genuine and unabashedly fun. Watch it below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

A rawness permeates the entirety of Supsine Butterfly, the debut full length by Brooklyn trio Ewe Dew. It’s a product of the band’s instrumentation, which veers from traditional folk punk into mathy, off-kilter acoustic segues on a dime, as well as the raw lyricism of frontman Christian Brion. Standout track “Wild Oats” is a pertinent example of Ewe Dew’s strengths, beginning with an antique metaphor of youth before transition to an impassioned, stream of consciousness narrative, highlighted by track’s shifting time signature and modulation between electric and acoustic textures. These dynamic changes make for engaging listening on Suspine Butterfly, and promises even more experimentation on Ewe Dew’s forthcoming second LP Birds Alight, dropping later this spring. Until then, stream them below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)