Despite featuring an impressive cast of musicians, Swahili Blonde has always been, at its heart, the project of Nicole Turley. Turley is no stranger to the local scene, having been part of bands like Kimono Kult and WEAVE!, though now she’s retracing her steps and beginning anew by taking full command with her upcoming full-length, entitled And Only the Melody Was Real. Featuring the entrancing, dub-tinged first reveal "Rose My Emperor", Turley is exorcising herself from the pain of a failed marriage in the best way she can – implementing sonically adventurous bits and bobs that appear to be simple, though are carefully layered, with arrangements that only reveal themselves in an impromptu way.

And Only the Melody Was Real is out on January 22nd via Neurotic Yell Records. 

Rhythm and attitude is what fuels The Knitts, a quintet that brings that indie-dance crossover that should sound pretty famiiar to those who enjoyed the post-punk revival of the early 2000s. "Get up and get out", lead singer Charlie Volkens snarls as those fuzzed-out, unhinged guitars and steady hi-hat patterns mark every beat with increasing momentum. Having been playing around the NoHo scene for a good few years now, the band is finally hitting its stride with an upcoming debut full-length recorded by jazz specialist Michael Leonhart.

Be on the lookout for the Knitts’ debut EP sometime in early 2016, and catch them shortly at Skinny’s on December 28th. 

Sego first caught our attention with last year’s knotty "20 Years Tall", leaving a growing anticipation for those who enjoyed their peculiarly colorful post-punk. After a year-long wait, the idiosyncratic duo are back with a new single, entitled "Micky Macali", and it’s a curious change of pace. "Micky Micali" has something of a eighties avant-pop flair that’s reminiscent of acts such as Art of Noise, though it still commits itself to a more accessible approach with a bouncy, uptempo breakbeat, alongside Spencer Peterson’s falsetto vocals, that showcases their love to keep things playful. It’s anyone’s guess how the rest of their upcoming full-length, Once Was Lost Now Just Hanging Around, will sound, but "Mickey Micali" is a good indication that Sego will continue to throw comfort and predictability out the window. 

Watch the stop-motion animation video for "Micky Macali" below. Once Was Lost Now Just Hanging Around is out on March 4th via Dine Alone Records. – Juan Rodríguez

Electronic producer Sonns has just released a music video for "Teacher", an entrancingly mysterious cut that fuses some kosmische-inspired elements into a steady, sultry groove. It makes sense considering German label Kompakt is handling the distribution for "Teacher", making for a fruitful liaison that should further expose Sonns’ talents. The video for the track is no less enigmatic, splicing together an array of underexposed images alongside the phantom-like appearance of singer Tobias Buch. 

Power pop refuses to die. Just ask Trade Heroes, a local quartet that combines the blistering attitude of rock n’ roll with melodic harmonies that create a clean, tuneful sound. The band sure knows how to write a good riff with aplomb on their debut EP Phosphene, exposing squalling guitars alongside finely crafted arrangements that are just plain fun to listen to.

Trade Heroes will be playing songs off of Phosphene at the Mint on January 12th.

Synth rock band WYLDR have just announced a residency at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa for the month of December. The trio will be previewing tracks off of their upcoming EP, Gypsy Queen, which should unleash their flair for bright-eyed, candied pop with icy, hard-edged synths. 

Check out their single "Savage" below, and if you’re in the mood for some jubilant frolics, don’t miss one of their residency dates next month. 

This year has been one of many firsts for Dr. Fadeaway – the dream pop duo recently played their first show at the Lexington, not too long after they released their debut track on bandcamp a few months ago. The aforementioned track, entitled “Felix”, is coated in swooning atmospherics, riddled with perpetual keyboard filigrees alongside a vigorous, yet low-key guitar lead that gives an added flash of color to its waltz-like construction.

“Felix” is the only official recording that exists of Dr. Fadeaway, and yet it bears its own curious mark. Hopefully the duo’s future efforts are just around the corner. – Juan Rodríguez

Pop rock quintet Wildling have released their latest single "Doesn’t Really Matter", a tuneful track with high single potential informed by eighties rock ballads. "Why you wanna fight me when my love’s so simple", singer Ryan Levine harmonizes alongside his bandmates, tracing the dissolution of a relationship with a big tent sound that comes across as if Local Natives were trying to cover Simple Minds when they were at their peak.

"Doesn’t Really Matter" is featured on their upcoming self-titled debut EP, which comes out on December 4th. – Juan Rodríguez

A dark palate of electronic sounds drip-drop across the new TWINKIDS track, "ACBTY". Scattered beats and sleepy synths delicately frame a soulful falsetto, while unsettling static permeates the background. The song feels light as air, grounded only by the haunting melody. There’s a subtle build up that feels incredibly intimate; don’t get distracted, or you might miss it. 

The self-proclaimed "laptop pop" duo shroud themselves in mystery. Despite living in the live music mecca of Echo Park, they have yet to play any shows, but we hope they reveal themselves to the night owls of LA soon. – Brittany Scheffler 

Post-punk quintet Dignitary recently released their debut EP, The Tautology, a haunting collection of heavily-reverbed guitars and sweeping arrangements informed by the darker aspects of sixties psychedelia. 

You can catch the band play tonight at Taix in Echo Park, and watch their video for the track "Destiny’s False Turn" below. 

Bird Concerns are an art pop quintet that manifests a steady elegance in their warm, light-jazzed compositions, capturing a seasoned musicality that’s mostly absent in today’s more ramshackle indie rock bands. Droning horns and pit-a-pat drum patterns swing to and fro as they noodle around with mathy textures on their debut EP, though instead of getting lost in their instrumentals they incorporate a lyrical fusion of disillusioned meanderings that evoke the dusky side of fall perfectly. 

The band will be playing at Silverlake Lounge on November 10th. – Juan Rodríguez

Pom Poms’ single "Betty" takes listeners on a roller coaster ride back in time. The nostalgic song hearkens back to early 60’s pop, and the black-and-white video is distinctly SoCal, awash with palm trees and beach goers. The duo met in Venice, where producer and multi-instrumentalist Billy Mohler stumbled upon vocalist Marlene Gold performing to nearly no one. After Mohler spent some time with Gold, he discovered that her voice sounded best raw and un-fussed with. We’d have to agree; her sultry and strong pipes shine on this track. – Brittany Scheffler