Australian duo Wunder Wunder made their 8,000 mile trek to Los Angeles after being seduced by this city’s sun-drenched landscape, which they romantically describe having “continuous unspoiltskies, pastel sunsets, and backdrop of palm trees.” Producers Aaron Shanahan and Bejamin Platt sure try to replicate our balmy ambiance on their latest single “Midnight Hours”, a sauntering mid-tempo number with arpeggiated guitars and luminous synth patterns that could just replenish this drought-filled summer. This is the first single off their upcoming full-length Everything Infinite, which will be released on July 15 via Dovecote Records. And make sure to catch them opening up for Cymbals at The Echo on July 22.

United Ghosts is a band who likes to insert momentum into their music. "Out of Love", the first track off their upcoming EP, Dear Electric Sun, begins with a bass line reminiscent of a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle wheel; a ceaseless anthem of shoegazey pop, the song doesn’t really let up, and that’s a good thing. United Ghosts displays a powerful array of influences ranging from the power pop of Arctic Monkeys to the high-reverb landscapes pioneered by My Bloody Valentine, complete with static ridden melodies and spacey electronics. Every song on the EP is an anthemic wall of sound, where the dynamics rarely shift out of the higher gears. You can catch United Ghosts on July 16th at Bootleg Theater. – Jake Saunders

Earlier last year, we wrote about one of our favorite local power-pop acts Punch Punch Kick. Now the four-piece have released a video for the titular track "What The Kids Don’t Know", which spotlights the band performing in a game show-like setting as all sorts of crazy things happen to them. 

You can also preview the entirety of their self-titled EP on their official website.

Rabble-rousing garage rock trio The Dead Ships have just released a video for their new single, Golden Room, a fiery new track that follows on the tracks of their attention-grabbing full length debut, Electric Ahab, back in 2012. The no-frills video is just as expected for a band of this caliber – three slightly unkempt, yet passionate garage rockers bangin’ a tune in a ratty setting without any concerns about buttering or sensibilizing their surroundings. Oh, and there’s a human crow that seems to disturb their jam, or is it the other way around? Though more details about their sophomore effort are still forthcoming, they did reveal that they just wrapped up the mastering of the record with Broken Social Scene scribe Brendan Canning in the helm of the recording. For those who happen to be in New York City this week, they’re playing tonight at Glasslands Gallery.

Baroque pop outfit Sanglorians first caught our attention last year with their debut full-length Initiation, which we previously honored the title of Artist of Watch last year for their vigorous, yet mirthful take on classic power pop. One of the most commanding tracks off Initation, "Everybody Likes a Pretty Girl", will soon get the full treatment with a music video that complements the song’s powerful message. It’s one of the more musing moments on the album, a snarky assessment on how American society places physical beauty on a pedestal. We’ll be posting up the video shortly, and starting today we’re offering a free mp3 of the track that you can download by clicking the link below. 

As we rapidly lead into the summer season, there’s always that spirited debate about which songs will soundtrack the scorching Pacific sun. MOTOFIGHTR, the duo comprised of Alec Feld and Miles Gabriel, are making a compelling offer to anyone’s mixtape addition with their latest track "Grow", a rush-inducing dance track that begins with a seductive tropical beat and breaks into a relaxed surge of glinting, tuneful guitars and sparkling synths. "Grow" maybe not be included on their upcoming debut EP Pacific Post Highway, due out on July 15, though there’s always the possibility that portions of the track may be featured in some capacitiy. Still, it’s quite the generous introduction into their tasteful electro house.

Translating emotion through brimming exuberance is not an easy task. Baroque pop outfit Wartime Recitals aren’t really up for this challenge, but only because it already comes so natural to them. The incredibly mirthful sextet write fun-loving, piano-driven tunes that are sharp and tuneful, carefully tailored and encompassed with an elated grin even when they find the need to pound a somber minor key. Seeing as they’re an ensemble of many moods, their rippling harmonies front-and-center, there’s a necessity to function in perfect synchronicity through those highs and lows. The equivalent of a seasoned handbell school band, there’s hardly a false note in their impenetrable, mainly classicist approach. Those gleeful voices are what elevate each of the six tracks in their self-titled debut EP – comparisons to AC Newman and the New Pornographers will be inevitable, since their vigorous search for that pitch-perfect, glistening pop song is handled with a precision that’s meticulous and passionate. But they convey that jubilance with a very personal touch, coming together with a driving force that bursts with life even they sing that sad song.

Wartime Recitals are playing at dba 256 Gallery & Wine Bar on Friday, June 13.

The delicious melodies of Raw Fabrics create a sound no one is used to. The uniquely talented singer and guitarist Jack Franco has a creative twist on the electric/indie music genre, injecting raw, live performances to give the listeners an authentic representation of their stimulating reverberation. Their newest hit single, "Down The Drain", reveals the ingenious inner workings of this up and coming band, one that should be a hard act to follow any day of the week.

Raw Farics are playing a string of shows throughout the month of June, making a stop at Viper Room on June 22. – Kayla Hay

Following in the tradition of muddying the rigid patterns of garage rock, Prettiest Eyes are a trio of noisemakers that write clanging, minimalist art rock with a confrontational slant. The Puerto Rico-via-LA transplants are charged with a furious energy in their recently-released EP PEEP, its searing three-tracks burying its hooks and gloriously obtrusive vocal affectations with stark expressionism. There’s a forbidding aspect to their delivery that’s surprisingly inviting, an intensity brewing in its ambling dissonant guitars and frantic keyboard strokes that equally unnerve and fascinate with a sense of freewheeling creativity.

Prettiest Eyes are playing tonight at Silverlake Lounge, followed with a performance at The Glass House on July 20. 

Elizabeth Le Fey first made an impression with her self-released EP Star Dust late last year, a lo-fi affair that, even recorded on an 8-track, still brims with a haunting eloquence. It gave us a fuller picture of her mystifying presence, a cosmic starlet whose psychedelic folk is sickly sweet and strange. Le Fey has since furthered the scope of that EP with her first full-length of the same name, and the first promo cut off it, "Breathing Rituals", perfectly exemplifies her freewheeling spirit. The track is coated with an ethereally sensual atmosphere, with a sauntering Le Fey going through a series of mystical rites as its hazy, slow-motion psych lures you with its mantric chord pattern.

Star Dust is out now through cassette and all digital outlets via Gazelle Recordings. 

Hobart W Fink are no strangers to this blog. Their unpretentious, straight forward approach to indie rock keeps us coming back for more. Not to mention they’re consistently playing shows and creating content for us to enjoy. Their latest video for "So Many Losers," features the band’s newest addition, Lauren Lakis, more prominently as co-lead vocalist. In the vein of 90s ironic rock with a slightly grungy edge, this new tune is hard-hitting and fun at the same time. Recorded Chris Kasych (Wavves, Vampire Weekend, Haim) on a vintage Neve board, this song is a promising start to the group’s forthcoming full length expected this August in conjunction with a Tuesday night Residency at Harvard & Stone. – Jacqueline Caruso