FITNESS ask for some relief on their debut EP, Aggroculture. The electro-rock duo, comprised of Max Collins and Kenny Carkeet, conjure a cool and relaxed vibe over immaculately rendered melodies. It’s a serviceable sound that’s performed with a slick and soulful groove, though behind the self-composed confidence lies a helplessness in the grip of the societal anxieties that penetrate our daily life.

The duo is going on a short West Coast tour opening for The Sounds to promote Aggroculture, which includes two hometown shows at the Fonda on November 12 and 13. Juan Rodríguez

Violet Rose takes on sleek, chilly electro pop on "Turn Me On." Informed by the smooth cadence of classic contemporary R&B singers, the Los Angeles by way of Pennslyvania singer-songwriter sings with a delicate, silvery tonality that adequately captures an ominous sensuality. With plenty of confidence to spare, Rose openly affirms her desires as an otherwise bobbing array of futuristic soundscapes lends the track a fractured presence.  

"Turn Me On" is the first single off of Rose’s debut EP, Plastic, out on November 10. Shortly after the release, Rose will be celebrating the release of the EP with a performance at The Study on November 11. Juan Rodríguez

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Sometimes it’s good to go back and remember a difficult time. Multi-instrumentalist Carlos J. Ruiz III shares his own heartache on "Someone Who Loves You," a psychedelic pop ballad that doesn’t shy away from the truth. Going by his moniker Loveless Death Scene, the King City native weaves some phaser effects into a smooth jam with a dreamy undercurrent that also exposes a liking for chart pop both classic and contemporary. 

"Someone Who Loves You" is taken from Loveless Death Scene’s debut EP Hopeless Death Machine, which he just self-released today via soundcloud. Juan Rodríguez 

An electric and soul-igniting Doe Paoro has released a new single following the events of the presidential election. Paoro speaks of the moments leading up to the final recording of the song: “I couldn’t sing the words I had written to the song. They were not resonating with the overwhelming heaviness and sadness I felt on that morning.” Though the meaning behind the lyrics is one of outrage, her audience has reaped the benefits. Paoro’s beautiful vocals, similar to Florence Welsh, flows with dreamy ease as the mood turns from soft to powerful with every exciting drum tease and piano melody. As we reflect on the past year, let us meditate to the haunting and inspiring sonnet of "Fading Into Black’."

Paoro has announced a residency at The Hotel Café for the month of November. We hope to see you there. – Kayla Hay

LANTERNS. bash out high-quality indie-rock on their latest single, "Angst." It’s another impassioned performance from the trio, who’ve been on a roll ever since they released the lunging, hook-driven assault of late-2016’s End Times Blues. They stick to what they know best on "Angst," a pulverizing rocker with a life-affirming energy that aims for a fractured, noisy beauty. 

There’s no word yet on how "Angst" points to LANTERNS.’ future, but as a standalone single, it’s an effective grunge anthem with a brittle guitar style that exudes class. Juan Rodríguez

Siren Section have captured the essence of electronic music and its different permutations for a variety of projects. But what hasn’t changed for the duo is their undying friendship, and on their latest offering, New Disconnect, that experience has allowed them to reach their creative peak. Their intricate beat constructions are best exemplified on "Ground Descending," a surging industrial ballad anchored by an immersive display of frostbitten synths.

New Disconnect will be self-released on October 24 via their official bandcamp page. Watch the stunning video for "Ground Descending" below. Juan Rodríguez

Things are looking for Pure Mids on "Maybe It’s Alright." The trio of Will Gonzalez, Steve Martinez, and Daniel Jurado see acceptance as a pathway to change, a sentiment that carries weight as they deliver a catchy confection that hits an aural sweet spot. Martinez’s staggered jangle tone leads the way as Gonzalez’s softly drawled vocals get lost in the song’s billowy groove. It charges through with a keen sense of songcraft, swung with a rhythmic drive that propels forward with a dreamy undercurrent. 

"Maybe It’s Alright" is the latest single off of their forthcoming debut EP, Optimistic-ism, due out next year via Dreamtime Palace. Juan Rodríguez

It’s hard to not look away from all increasing absurdity of our current political landscape. And theoretically, there’s not a lot that can be said within a song to possibly address such a vast concept, but it’s also a good start. Singer-songwriter Eric Anders’s latest single, "This Fire Has Burned too Long," is a fiery, yet calm statement with a rustic Americana sound that inspires a feeling of reflective melancholy. It’s a fitting anthem for our trying times, one that keeps a tinge of optimism even when it unapologetically calls out the sheer lack of tact that plagues our social discourse.

"This Fire Has Burned too Long" can be found on Anders’s latest full-length, Eleven Nine, which was released earlier this year via his official bandcamp page. Juan Rodríguez

San Fernando Valley post-punk band Moaning, who we nominated for Artist of the Month back in 2015, have just announced they’re joining famed Seattle label Sub Pop. In view of the announcement, the four-piece has just released a music video for one of their early tracks, "The Same." And the track hasn’t lost one bit of its visceral potency: featuring a combination of squalling metallic fuzz and thudding bass that recalls the grimy industrial chug of Manchester/Factory Records in the late seventies, singer Sean Solomon groans in a soft monotone with a resigned shrug as a practice space gets wrecked.

Moaning are working on their debut full-length record, which is tentatively slated for a spring 2018 release. Catch them opening for Metz at Teragram Ballroom on December 12. Juan Rodríguez

"Mangkukulam!," chants art-punk quartet Egrets on Ergot over a relentless barrage of rolling toms and thudding bass lines. The term stands for someone who is a practitioner of low magic or sorcery in Filipino culture, a striking motif that presents an alien and uncompromising vision. Their loping, practically instrumental rhythms hit with a snarling energy without losing a keen sense of groove, casting a dark spell that engulfs your senses with each and every primitive shriek.

"Mangkukulam" is the lead-off track off of Egrets on Ergot’s debut album Surfeit of Gemütlich, which comes out on October 27 via Cleopatra Records. Watch the official video below.

Art pop quartet Sure Sure first caught our attention with songs like "New Biome" and "The Expert," both of which brought a slick pop sound with an inventive stroke. A year later, the band is expanding their reach with their latest single, "Hands Up Head Down," where they let their funky selves free with a slinky groove that recalls the sumptuous prog-pop of Genesis and Steely Dan. The track benefits from these odd sonic contrivances that add to its overall playfulness, but never do they lose sight of a catchy, earworm chorus that might just place them on commercial rock radio. Even if they light the room with a breezy and easygoing disposition, their careful attention to detail on "Hands Up Head Down" proves they’re intent on writing songs that are flat-out fun without undermining their own intelligence.

Sure Sure are playing The Fonda on January 28, 2018 supporting Hippo Campus.

Caroline Kingsbury has dropped a single from her upcoming LP with Northern Transmissions, “Alone Again”. Fresh from Nashville, this emerging artist is creating a brand new name for herself in her new home of Los Angeles. Kingsbury has a similar aesthetic to Lana Del Ray but creates her own dreamy pop chords, smooth vocal transitions, and catchy drumbeats. Her poptastic sound creates the perfect mood for any lazy day drinking by yourself, long night drives with your best friend or dancing when no one is looking. Kingsbury’s heart bleeds through her music; she speaks volumes to those struggling through a changing period in their life. Fighting alone through every situation you find yourself in, and figuring it out alone. Not only an inspiration to me, but anyone who travels and moves a lot, picking up and leaving everything behind you is a lot harder than people think. This song is our anthem, and I thank her for that. Sometimes it takes a few falls in order to pick yourself back up. – Kayla Hay