Indie folk quartet Holy Folk are celebrating the release of their debut full-length, Motioning, with a hometown release show at El Cid tomorrow, June 20th. You can stream the album in its entirety, which includes their rapturous single "Time Lapse". 

Producer Danny Choi, otherwise known as Ghost Loft, creates haunting soundscapes befitting of his mysterious moniker. There’s a deeply felt sense of isolation in "So High", a bleak, seductive track that locks your senses in an enrapturing, grayish hue. The video for the track is just as enigmatic, a vaguely surreal visual art piece that casts a sensual spell with its echoing, crepuscular ambiance.  

The debut LP, ‘Hazel’, from quintet, Young Hunting, is mature and thoughtful. An album deserving of multiple, attentive spins, undisturbed in a dimly lit room. Written and recorded over several years, Hari Rex & Ilya Mxx, are songwriters who absorb the subtext of life, allow it to marinate in their bones, and slowly whisper back it’s poetry. The first three singles, “Maze,” “Sweet Bird,” and “Rust,” were individually leaked as the album progressed, showcasing the band’s lush arrangements and 70s folk pop influence. But, it is the newest single, “Wrecking Ball,” that proves the bands staying power. It’s the kind of deeply personal anthem filled with the magic that can stir gut-wrenching emotion is even the most disconnected listener. The album was released this week on Oakland’s Gold Robot Records. Young Hunting play the Bootleg Bar this Friday, June 14, followed by an in-store at Origami Vinyl on June 25. – Jacqueline Caruso

Before the set started I was warned by a friend to get ready for the tiny fireball of energy that is Kitten’s front woman Chloe Chaidez, who’s 19 by the way. My inner monologue of “Oh yeah, ok whatever girl” was blown away by Chaidez’s sex charged hair whipping performance just a few songs in. Supported by a classic rock sound and a healthy dose of 80’s post punk and new wave, Chaidez was acrobatic to say the least, climbing on amps, monitors and at times doing handstands onto bandmates. – Richard Kim

Cherry Glazerr is an apropos title for these teenagers making spaced out sugary pop music and having more fun than you at sixteen. They played to a small crowd of fans and won over new admirers early in the day on the main Sunset stage. The brief set was filled mostly by super short tracks of sweet melodies and wry lyrics describing youthful innocence by singer Sophia Creevy. – Richard Kim

The self-proclaimed “post-gangster soul wave” duo, Dream Panther, are offering some dreamy, chilled out soulful tunes for you on their debut EP, ‘Beyonce’s Child.’ The first single, “Chutes and The Ladder,” has that laid back R&B feel that’s been blowing west this year, adding elements of world music and atmospheric electronica to make this new genre all their own. The latest act to emerge from the local DIY collective, FMLY, these guys have an obvious sense of humor and complete lack of pretension that makes them even more endearing. Stream the track below and pre-order the cassette from Chill Mega Chill Records. – Jacqueline Caruso

You can’t take yourself too seriously when you’re having a rad time. Los Angeles garage rockers Pangea look and sound like they could throw an awesome party. Pangea rocked the first day crowd at Jubilee fest in downtown’s arts district with a set of catchy fuzzed out tracks including “Night of the Living Dummy” and “Too Drunk to Cum”. Other highlights were the fast paced punk-inspired “River” from The Killer Dreams EP released last year and even when they slowed things down with a screechy cover of The Ronnette’s “Be My Baby”, the crowd kept moshing on. – Richard Kim

Mind The Gap, a melting pot of colorful gentlemen, released a single called "Falling For You". The upbeat dance-techno, rock vibes makes you fall for the song, the band, and each and every one of its members. Their captivating music and sexy harmonies is just as dynamic as the band members, each of them with a different ethnic background; giving a fresh new taste to the average American indie band, the four include a Sri Lankan, a Mexican, a Korean and a guy from Cleveland. The act of falling for someone is a passionate and endearing sense of enlightenment, and they do a great job of throwing you directly into the emotion they are provoking. Catchy lyrics will leave you singing it for days and will stay under your skin as the beat and layered undertones of the music make you feel a new emotion with every hit of the drum. Mind The Gap’s crushing, fancy, heart pounding music will have you falling for them and their new album, “Youth”. – Kayla Hay

Much-beloved locals PAPA are gearing up for the release of their forthcoming full-length with first single "If You’re My Girl, Then I’m Your Man", which is getting the 7" treament on June 25th. The soaring new-wave-tinged rocker dwells over the tribulations of love, and narrates that classic theme where the distractions of living in a big city jeopardize a relationship that was once pure and authentic. Vocalist Darren Weiss continues to impress with his slightly affectling drawling as the song’s atmospheric synths coat its charging, brittle guitars. Hopefully there’s an announcement about a full-length soon, but until then, you can catch them performing at Fig at 7th on July 26th. 

Meg Myers is bringing her emotionally charged, grungy girl rock to the Troubadour on Thursday, June 6. She has announced that she, along with her band, made up of producer, Doctor Rosen Rosen, cellist Ken Oak, and drummer Sam Gallagher, will be showcasing four new songs at the show. Here’s a debut of one of those new songs, “Cold.” The video features Myers alone in an empty warehouse with just her guitar and an amp, belting out her heart-wrenching tune. Simple on the surface, “Cold,” like many of her songs, cuts straight to the core, with a melody that will linger in your mind for days. You can grab tickets for her show here. – Jacqueline Caruso

Riverside raised sisters, Chelsea and Justine Brown, are bringing their sun-drenched garage pop to the Bootleg Bar every Monday this month. The two girls, who are both self-taught on their respective instruments, blend 50’s style pop harmonies over gritty rock ‘n roll. Their sugar and spice approach to the retro genre has gained them a fan base in Japan, where they are signed to IRMA Records. Summer Twins is California Dreamin’ at it’s best – breezy, romantic, and catchy, with just the right amount of kitsch. Peep their new video for “Forget Me,” the song which will be on their 7 inch EP due out June 25 on Burger Records. The video is a mod-tinged surf pop dreamland, sprinkled with cats and crafting and all the delightful vintage touches you would expect. – Jacqueline Caruso

 Echo Park indie rock band NO have kept mum about their long-awaited full-length (when it coming, guys!), but that doesn’t mean they’ve been active for the past few months. The band just released a new 7”, What’s Your Name/Eleven Eleven, and now there’s a video to accompany side A. Just as the song quietly builds into a soaring, powerful finale, “What’s Your Name” begins in a hushed sleep, with a man getting up as the sun rises in a dark, overcast morning. The video is stylized with a poetic feel, showing the beginning of a day in the life of a contemplative soul whose silent stroll speaks volumes. It’s told through leisurely, evocative shots that allow its protagonist to hit an emotional chord with striking intensity.

NO "What’s Your Name" from Black/White Iris Music on Vimeo.