"A little bit of fun never hurt no one," goes the pleasurable axiom by courtship. On their video for "Bad Fun," the indie pop duo of Eli Hirsch and Micah Gordon mix business with pleasure as a bouncy, piano-led beat takes them through an imaginary daydream.

"Bad Fun" is the latest single off of their still-unannounced forthcoming full-length effort. Catch them at the Troubadour opening for The Hunna and Coasts on March 31.

Velour Afternoon watch with an observant eye on their latest EP, 1001 Dreams and No Sleep. Their shared discontent with our city’s economic imbalance is less a source of inspiration and more so an inherent element of their everyday lives. But the quartet communicates their message with recondite imagery, as they handle their intricate psychedelic arrangements with flawless precision. It’s a thoughtful listen which borrows the essence of garage rock, but with a darker and more esoteric sound, where they conjure a tone so mysterious that it’s hard to shake.

Listen to the 1001 Dreams and No Sleep in its entirety below. Juan Rodríguez

Media Jeweler weave an intricate thread on "Splayed Wayside." On the three years since their debut release, $99 R/T Hawaii, the post-punk four-piece further darken their lively, math rock arrangements with a pointedly Dadaist expression which gives the song a brooding, sinister edge. Made up of throbbing bass lines and a gyrating guitar tone that sounds as if it’s knotted like barbed wire fence, they rebel on some form of societal malaise with a statement that is both impenetrable and alluring. 

"Splayed Wayside" is the the second single off of their forthcoming full-length, 1-800-SUCCEED. It comes out on March 30 via Fire Talk. Make sure to catch their record release party at Scoops on April 7.

Cloud escapes into a state of blissful euphoria on "Two Hands Bound." The lavish sound singer-songwriter Tyler Taormina creates overflows with effervescence, as gossamer electronic textures and buoyant percussion hits build into a vibrant carnival of beautiful colors. But beneath the lively exterior also lies a heartfelt message: you’re ultimate the architect of your own happiness, even when outside forces try to convince you otherwise. 

"Two Hands Bound" is the latest single off of Cloud’s full-length Plays with Fire, which was just released on March 9 via Audio Antihero. Juan Rodríguez

LA producer Mark Hadley, better known as Hark Madley (as of recently), has created a groundbreaking name for himself. Just released from his upcoming EP, titled EP1, is "Friendship 7." With transmissions straight from astronaut John Glenn’s spaceflight aboard Friendship 7 back in 1962 (“Am I in contact with anyone, over.”), he single-handedly immerses his audience into a world of deep bass, mesmerizing synths, and genre-defying transmissions that no other artist has landed in before.  A crashing reminder of exactly what pop, indie and electro fans are missing at their shows, this is an ambient journey of beautifully-produced and relaxing transitions which set the bar for this genre, higher than ever before.

Law of Attraction states that we have the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on, as this thought attesta: “I also feel the weight of the world right now, and hope that I can help through my music, providing a place where people can come to be still and reflect.” Taking a few minutes to listen to his SoundCloud will only make your eagerness for his EP drop even more profound. His talent is universal and jaw-dropping, to say the least. Kayla Hay

Gibberish dance around a twirl of musical ideas on "Gummi." Complicated, yet cleverly devised with sprightly spontaneity, the duo of Derek and Lorie Bromley ruminate on the idealization of nostalgia over a dizzying array of gurgling synths, reverb-drenched vocal harmonies, and lucid guitar lines. The track takes on the more adventurous side of psychedelia with a sort of meandering whimsy. But never does "Gummi" veer into the impenetrable – akin to former art pop savants The Fiery Furnaces, the duo structure all those loose-limbed pieces with a keen sense of melodic invention.

Gummi is the first single off of Gibberish’s latest release, Kneehigh, which they recently self-released via their official Soundcloud. Juan Rodríguez

Sydney Banta embodies everything we love about the 80s. Banta, who goes by L.A. Girlfriend, creates an illuminating and reckless ambiance of passion, female empowerment and electric pop-punk. She exemplifies all of those on her latest video for "Regina,"  a three-part, larger-than-life visual that is as moving as it is entertaining. Her choreography provokes the audience but her lyrics pull at your heartstrings, and I can’t stop listening.

Banta’s lyrical enlightenment has me itching for more, and as a listener, I crave storytelling through lyrics. But she doesn’t stop there – she passionately holds onto the things that make her unique, and we, as an audience, should praise her for that. And lucky you, LA Girlfriend will be playing at The Echo on April 9. Catch her if you can. Kayla Hay

Low Hum is full of longing and reflection on "Nebraska." An even-tempered, mid-tempo beat follows songwriter Collin Desha as he goes for a late-night walk around the city on the video for the track. He thinks vividly about a special person who consumes his thoughts as a smoothed-out, psychedelic-informed rhythm contributes to his delirium. Desha leaves an air of suspension as it leads into its final moments, where we’re lead to believe that he’s found what he’s seeking, only to realize that it’s just an illusion. 

"Nebraska" is the lead-off track off of Low Hum’s self-titled debut EP, which was just released last Friday. Get lost with Desha as he celebrates his EP release at Moroccan Lounge on Wednesday, February 28. Juan Rodríguez

Launder – the songwriting project of John Cudlip – carries his fervent songs with a melancholy undercurrent. Akin to Brooklyn’s DIIV (which makes sense, since key member Zachary Cole Smith plays guitar on this project), Cudlip’s latest, "Annie Blue," also leans on jangly, lilting guitars with a heavy use of cavernous reverb. His is a romantic rumination that spirals off wth a jittery confusion.

"Annie Blue" is the second single off of Launder’s upcoming EP, Pink Cloud. 

Honesty is rooted at the core of Aloud’s "Falling Out of Love." It’s a tough acknowledgment that lead singer Jen De La Osa admits as she describes a relationship that has reached its limit, and tolerance is a hard act to accomplish. De La Osa, accompanied by other main member and spouse Henry Beguiristain, tells this simple, yet devastating tale over a passionate musical interplay that’s rooted in a ’60s notion of blues and soul. Their measured groove gradually intensifies with a fiery passion as it leads into the song’s towering chorus, where they give a new spin to a timeless rock sound in a boldly exhilarating way.

"Falling Out of Love" is the A-side to a split 7," which was just released on Valentine’s Day. The band will bring their 6 piece complete with a horn section to the Hotel Café tonight. Here’s the video for the track below. Juan Rodríguez

Photo: David Burlacu

The subtle and relaxing, yet deep and artistic rhythms of Z Berg will put you in a trance. Her newest single, “I Fall For The Same Face Every Time,” is a unique and symbolic play on music. The video itself has a dark and ominous plot that has many twists and turns. Z Berg carries a weight to not only her lyrics but also her cinematography with help from director Dominic Haydn Rawle. Z Berg’s beautiful, soulful sound leaves you feeling empty and whole at the same time, which is why her music video is even more appealing.

“I Fall For The Same Face Every time” will leave you itching for a more secure sense of self, especially after watching her cradle a dead body. But don’t fret! Her abstract visuals, gothic, neo-classic chamber pop influences will have you dying for more. If you missed her performance at The Lodge Room, follow her on any of her social media accounts to stay up to date on new releases, concerts, and tours. Kayla Hay

Video: Dominic Haydn Rawle 

An overwhelming sense of isolation surrounds your every fiber on "Fragrance." The duo of Anna Wallace and Timothy Murray create a spacious atmosphere that’s both eerie and spectral, where a pulsating synthesizer swings to and fro over a muted, languid drone. It’s not until Wallace tries to host the transmission via a vocoder that we understand how "Fragrance" is more than just instrumental ambiance. It never quite goes where you think it’ll take you, as it’s enveloped with a sonic richness that induces one into a state of perpetual meditation.  

"Fragrance" is the first reveal off of the duo’s forthcoming record, Meditation Hymns for an Electronic Age, which is due out later this Spring. – Juan Rodríguez