Ah, the fated lyric video! Nightmare the Cat are the latest to give us a first unveiling through sound and words, and with good reason, since they’ve officially announced the release of their debut full-length Simple. It comes on the heels of their much-celebrated EP of the same name (so much for keeping things simple, right?), and it presents the band in all its anthemic glory – the song works as some sort of dance/rock hybrid, incorporating crunchy guitar riffs equipped with the soulful vocals of Django Stewart.

Catch them opening for Neon Trees at the WIltern on June 14. Simple will be released via Capitol on July 8.

The comely acoustic folk of The Acetates greets you like an unexpected postcard from an old friend – always reliable, familiar, and with a reminder that things are going to be just fine. Their stripped-down songs are closely-observed musings that depict images of the everday, though they incorporate wind instruments to give it a fuller texture; think of nostalgic city dwellers reminiscing about the simple country life backing Paul Simon on his latest tour. After two sporadic singles released through bandcamp in 2012, both in the vein of gleaming Americana, the Echo Park quintet are finally releasing their debut EP on the last night of their May residency at Silverlake Lounge.

If dream pop could be melancholic and a ballad feel manic, Devon Williams would be its personification. "Flowers," the first single off Williams’ forthcoming third LP titled, ‘Gilding The Lily,’ displays his enigmatic power wrapped in a gentle ethereal touch. There are flourishes of soft 60s pop, with Pet Sounds-style backing vocals and a pulsing organ. But there’s an undeniable early Shins feeling erupting from the very first vocal line that I can’t shake. That is to say, he references the best of pop’s past and creates something refreshingly personal. Overall, there’s a maturity in Williams’ ability to delicately display such raw emotion through clever pop melodies and lush arrangements. ‘Gilding the Lily’ is due out June 3 on Slumberland Records. – Jacqueline Caruso

Off-kilter art rock shoegazers, Ablebody, are sharing a new tune with us. Where their debut release was covered in a veil of gloom and unsettling dissonance, this new single, "After Hours," is a gutsy Britpop suckerpunch. Skillfully accentuating offbeat syllables, Hochheim creates musical punctuations with his words, matching the driving beat underneath it all. Spacey synths, dreamy reverb-drenched guitars, and the atmospheric layers we’ve come to know from Ablebody are all still intact, but this slightly new direction is a welcome one. Stream "After Hours" below and catch them on their tour with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart tomorrow night May 7 at The Troubadour. – Jacqueline Caruso

Much like pizza, we can never get enough electro pop. Monogem is the newest kid on these slick, dreamy streets. The moniker of singer/songwriter, Jen Hirsch, Monogem played their first show this past September and made a huge splash with their single, "Wait and See." The production is bass heavy with buzzing synth lines and dance-y beats. The track is undeniably pop, but the true interest lies in Hirsch’s laid-back, sultry vocals and blissfully catchy melodies. Plus, it’s perfectly timed for this steamy summer weather. May 4, 11 and 25, Monogem, backed by a full band, will be the featured Sunday Residency artist at The Bootleg. Stream "Wait and See" below. – Jacqueline Caruso

As far as stage gimmicks goes, YNGCULT maybe have raised the stakes of masquarading in deliberate anomymity. The R & B informed duo wear tetrahedron head pieces to disguise their physical facade, which in turn, would ostensibly reveal ours since they’re reflective in design. Which would make for a somewhat awkward experience, seeing yourself from the audience through them, though their spectral slow jams are so bewitching it’s possible they’d seduce you into a careless, mellow state of being. The duo just released their latest EP, Capitøll, which they just made available through their official bandcamp page.

LA native and singer-songwriter, Cassandra Violet, has been quietly building an army of devoted followers with her catchy and clever folk pop tunes. Her 3 song EP, ‘Beyond The Fray,’ was funded through a kickstarter campaign. She also made a video for the title track. Hand claps and stomps make up most of the instrumentation, along with Violet’s powerful harmonies. The song’s sparse arrangement matches the wide open deserted landscape chosen for the setting in the video. While the song has a pretty quality, it’s just a guise luring you in like a black widow calling you into her web. She creates a spooky, ghost town, chill-inducing atmosphere. Reminiscient of The Civil Wars if they were produced by Kimbra, Cassandra Violet is certainly one to watch. Peep the video below and get caught in her web. – Jacqueline Caruso

Our 2012 Year End Poll winners and off-the-wall garbage punk rockers, Zig Zags are at it again. Their rumored Ty Segall-produced album has become an official announcement. Due out June 3 on In The Red Records, the long-awaited debut full length has us bursting with anticipation. "Brainded Warrior" is the first single they’ve shared and it fully lives up to the hype. The trio creates a parallel world where their music is the soundtrack to the mythic shenanigans of glammed-out mutant warriors. While referencing 80s punk and metal, they manage to build something futuristic; a shredded wasteland that, through their lens, becomes a playground for tongue-in-cheek mischief. Zig Zags play two nights at The Church on York with Thee Oh Sees on May 28 and 29. – Jacqueline Caruso

Dancehall provocateurs (and recent Deli poll winners) Okapi Sun are about to set the stage ablaze with a record release show at Silverlake Lounge tomorrow, April 25. Their skewed brand of IDM is felt with a directness, even in all its auto-tuned glory, throughout their debut album Techno Phaedra, a quality that shines through their colorful tunes. It comes out next Tuesday, April 29 via Phaedra Records.

Air Life is nose-diving straight into the heart of L.A. and right into a weekly residency at The Satellite venue every Monday in May. Their newest single, "Tell Me Anything", has smooth jazz beats, subtly soulful 70’s vibes, and endearing lyrics: “Tell me how you feel, when we are apart baby.” It’s incredible when certain songs can put you into different moods, folding into different styles and situations as they collaborate to the setting you’re in. This song, in particular, should be played in the bedroom; lying next to your partner with lights strung above and gazing into each other’s eyes – you get the point. Speaking of the 70’s, this song has a groove evocative of that time with its energetic rhythm section, all the while Taylor Dextor engages the audience with his soothing, sensual voice. – Kayla Hay

Emerging like a phoenix from the garbage pile of the internet, Habits, the sample-based one man show created by Dustin M. Krapes, has finally released his collection of songs as a full length LP, ‘Unselves in Arrival.’ Most of the songs that make up this collection would be as much at home at a dancehall as they would be at the Church on York. To categorize this as electro rock, or synth pop, or at all for that matter, severely undercuts the scope of his work. I can merely, at my best, describe it as a chopped up, caffeinated, cut and paste collage of found sounds from music’s past tailor-made for the future. This is one of the albums that should surely be buried in 2014’s time capsule, perhaps sent in a rocket to whatever planet we end up colonizing next.
Trite as it may sound, the bombardment of submissions from kids playing music like it’s a video game, is overwhelming, and their efforts, more than underwhelming. Not only is Habits’ music commenting on this aspect of our modern age, it’s beating them all at their own game. – Jacqueline Caruso

To continue reading the full review, click here.

The new album by the soft-spoken, inventive songstress, Priscilla Ahn, ‘This Is Where We Are’, was released earlier this year. It’s a gutsy departure from her more acoustic offerings, and our ears are delighted. Lead single, "Diana," has all the sweetness, euphoria, and mystery of paragliding across a rainbow. Quirky, and at times aggressive soundscapes dance between serenading melodies. Her intimate and heartbreaking qualities are still on full display, especially on the ballad, "Remember How I Broke Your Heart." Filled with delicate instrumentation and breathless harmonies, this is Ahn in her purest form. The entire album seems to be a push and pull between comfort and exploration. Stream "Diana" below and catch her live set at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery on May 30. – Jacqueline Caruso