Instantly stepping into a dissonant riff, “Kite Balloons” kicks off Honey Radar’s fifth full-length album, Ruby Puff Of Dust, which was released via What’s Your Rupture?. The ragged, guitar-fueled inferno momentarily subsides with the vocals serving as a gentle, guiding, cooling agent. That mixture of unrestrained fire and its refreshing counterpart exhibits control within the chaotic setting, before “Tick Tock” rhythmically revs its engines and then snaps into gear with the crack of the snare. A continuous march forward gradually shifts and amplifies in intensity, as mastermind Jason Henn narrates an oddly intriguing scene. “Curve-less doctors cover you in spit. Don’t let anybody know it.”

However, a subdued softness marinates in “Song For Randolph Free”. Walking along a dusty, time-worn trail, there’s a memorable, conversational closeness that takes a personal look, before allowing the muscularity of guitar to round out the moment, supporting action to take the place of words. The wheel aggressively rolls on as “Carousel Society” instrumentally opens up. A pleasant yet cautionary tone is echoed in the lyrics. “All is good for you and me, let’s help the world enter the sun.” The track demonstrates the ability to stir and soothe, fading away before reviving into a gritty, groovin’ stomp.

While “Almanac Singer” enchants in a poetic prose haze, encircled by the hard-driving electric spark plug of instrumentation, one meanders slowly toward “Magnesium Blow-Up,” which is already in progress, with the decibel level subsequently rising. Loosely held together, a hypnotic heaviness gradually spins outward into the distance, returning and completing its cycle in acoustic form. “Smoking Boy” jumps out of the box, driven by the entanglement of steadily popping drums and wiry guitar, as the vocals etch a tunnel through the center, before drifting into the unknown as the song subsides.

“The Golden String” concludes this collection of garage-psych vignettes, with its slightly off-kilter, mystical haziness. It rides along and then goes off-roading, twisting ever further into unknown. While proving to be Honey Radar’s most pop-oriented record, Henn and company still manage to pack in plenty of surprises. – Michael Colavita 

Slaughter Beach, Dog‘s new LP Safe And Also No Fear officially comes out on vinyl tomorrow via Lame-O Records, but you can now stream and purchase it digitally below. Pulling influences from musicians such as Wilco and gothic Americana writers like Raymond Carver and Cormac McCarthy, there is an obvious evolution to the songwriting of Jake Ewald that fans of Modern Baseball should take notice of almost immediately. With the band’s lineup solidified by Nick Harris (NONA, LUTHER, All Dogs) on guitar, Zack Robbins (Dark Mtns, Superheaven, Petal) on drums, and former MoBo bassist Ian Farmer, you’ll find the songs on Ewald’s latest album to be more spacious and deliberate, with a shadowier side to their tales. Slaughter Beach, Dog is also scheduled to perform next in Philly on Saturday, September 21 at the First Unitarian Church, supported by Cave People. (Photo by Jess Flynn)

Myles Donovan (A Stick And A Stone, Ominous Cloud Ensemble, Disemballerina) and Eric Bandel (Nymph, Victory and Good Hunting) creatively combine talents to form Forgotten Bottom. The duo recently released Hostile Architecture, which will be available on cassette via Black Horizons. Subtle, intricate, suspenseful soundscapes are unravelled. A complex, classical beauty captures one’s focus. These compositions move with an organic, scene-transporting ardor.

Influences: Watching a city you love and grew up in become gentrified and developed beyond recognition over the decades, working with folks experiencing homelessness, working in psychiatric rehabilitation, old greek songs about prison and hash, the sound of the market frankford el, addiction and recovery, bartok duets, sonny sharrock, manic depression, too much caffeine, abandoned buildings, the opiod crisis in kensington, the overlooked crack cocaine epidemic in north philly, that oil refinery with the divine natural acoustics that exploded, profound and beautiful things muttered by nursing home residents, don’t get us started

A Garden Everywhere You Go, the latest album from Birdspotter, is out now via Bratislava, Slovakia’s Z Tapes. Delicately delightful, experimental folk-pop springs forward. Those gentle, sonic layers establish a sense of intimate proximity, which grips as it grooves. Discover meaning in the minute moments.

Dēmodex’s debut EP, Padded Cell, is available for download and on cassette via Get Better Records. The band revs its instrumental engine, before a fierce savageness is unleashed. The vocals rein down in a commanding manner – emotive and unshakable. The steamrolling combination of backend and jarring guitar never flinches as it barrels ahead. The quartet creates a sound that cannot be contained.

Consisting of Chelsea Brennan and Chris Schackerman (Literature, Mercury Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart), Arch of Love recently dropped a new single, “Say,” via 6131 Records. The song stretches in a silky, synth-pop manner, but despite the smooth progression, Brennan voices concern over poor, conflicting communication. That coasting instrumentation contrasts with the turbulence within the relationship. The duo will be performing this Sunday, August 4 at Ortlieb’s, on a lineup that also includes Crozet and Hibou.

Krust Toons: "The Police" by Tedd Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations and animation shorts HERE.

Having had many Deli contributors past and present come from the Scranton/Wilke-Barre area, we happen to know a bit about the vibrant music community that has been steadily building there for years. And Philly has certainly benefited from the inflow of talented creators coming to our city to share their music and possibly make their mark. Like many who are just getting started, The Tisburys’s Tyler Asay and longtime collaborative partner John Domenico cut their teeth at the local coffee shop open mic nights in Northeast PA, before heading south to our neck of the woods, eventually teaming up with drummer Andrew Huston and bassist Doug Keller. The solidified quartet is currently working on a new EP, a supplementary follow-up to this year’s Wax Nostalgic. The Tisburys is also our most recent Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner, and you can check out our interview with the gang HERE.

The trio of Cold Sweats recently shared its self-titled debut EP. A grim, grungy intensity is immediately apparent. Releasing raw, pent-up emotions, the tension increases as the instruments rumble ahead unforgivingly. However, that heaviness ultimately creates a cathartic sense of relief.

Recorded by Jeff Zeigler at Uniform Recording, Heatmap’s new EP Thank has found its way to us via Dimension Arts, and tomorrow night, the band will be holding its record release show at Ortlieb’s. The trio finds a balance between even-keeled, composed precision with volatile undertones. An authoritative sense of control drives the songs steadily forward, instilling security. However, jagged edges along those smooth, thumping rhythms suggest that within those calculated movements, danger and unpredictability still lies. They’ll be supported by the infectious haze of Goldenaire and the brutal barrage of frustration-releasing aggression that is Desperate Living. – Michael Colavita

More things to do to help you escape this dystopia…

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI IATT, Blasphemous, Polemicist, SAT Heatmap (Record Release), Goldenaire, Desperate Living 

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT DJ Emynd, Bo Bliz, SUN DJs Tim Motzer and Jeff White

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SUN Scantron

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Levee Drivers, Todd Fausnacht/DJ-Sun, Rebel Foster, SAT The 1910 Chainsaw Company/Fame Lust

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI No Thank You, Amanda X, SUN Jenna and The Pups

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI DJ Evan Edge, DJ Skeleton Lipstick, SAT Chemical Fix, SUN No Option, Simulakra, 3weekoldroses

TLA (334 South St.) SUN , Black Thought Presents: Delirious

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Function

Franklin Music Hall (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI-SUN This Is Hardcore

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Marielle Kraft (Record Release), Chris Paterno, Brianna Nelson/(Downstairs) PhillyBloco Carnival, Unidos da Filadelfia Samba School

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Human Shield, SAT Mars Parker, ALEANA, Moses Mosima, Annon XL, Jizza Raw, Hashland

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Primatives (Record Release)/The Jumping Juvies

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Live Band Karaoke, SUN Rusty Cadillac 

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SAT Jac with No K (EP Release), Lovecartel, SUN Keely Sibilia, The Last Generation On Film

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI Gracie Martin & The So Beautifuls, Sabrina Pantal, Julia Rainer, SAT The Lot, The Barren Mary’s

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) SAT Bill Collector/DJ Mighty Mike Saga, Elijah Vrms

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Chris Urban, SUN Cirque Noir

The Tusk (430 South St. above woolly mammoth) FRI At Best, Zymotic Flow, Cvges, SAT The Prisoners

Century (1350 S 29th St.) FRI The Robinsons, Yeet, SAT Scars Like These, The HeelsDecontrol, Beer Me!

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Knightlife, Bohemian Mule, The Missing Frets, SAT Apple Juice Jones, Cookie Rabinowitz

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Breakwater, Urban Guerilla Orchestra, SAT Dice Raw, Voss, Frankie Vado

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ Ricky Lee, SUN Menace Cartel

Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Sixteen Jackies, Courier Club 

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Flamingo Chicks,Vague Advice, Miracle Swill, SAT Canine 10, Debonair, Nothing Wrong

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) SAT Birthday Boy, Here/Now, Secret Drawer

The Mothership (602 S. 52^nd St.) SAT Stinking Lizaveta

Warehouse on Watts (923 N. Watts St.) FRI Dosk

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT No Sir E 

Haus of Yarga (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI In Trouble, Pit Hair, SAT Viscera (Album Release), Zombieshark, Chava

Couchtown (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Daydrunks, Beach Bod

The Bass Mint (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN AmericanTrappist, Lizdelise, Rachel Andie & The Fifth Element, Lily McKown

Pleasure Mountain Ballroom (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Beach Bod, A Million Dollars

The Tide Pool (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Blubird, Slowsie, Americanadian, SAT Ivory

XPoNential Fest (BB&T Pavillon/Wiggins Park) FRI Japanese Breakfast, Killiam Shakespeare/Foxtrot & the Get Down, SAT Low Cut Connie, Ali Awan, SUN Dave Hause & The Mermaid, RFA, Zeek Burse

Remembering The Rockets, the third full-length album from Strange Ranger, is out now via Tiny Engines. Pensive, emotively-vulnerable lyrics are reinforced by the delicate melodic instrumentation. A warm gentleness combines with ongoing, personal exploration, resulting in an album that ventures into soothingly, sensitive depths. You can catch the band in Philly next at the First Unitarian Church on Thursday, November 14, with Chastity Belt.

Pretend Collective’s self-titled debut album is scheduled to arrive on September 13 via The Giving Groove. The ensemble recently shared a new single, “Higher Than A Flying Cloud Castle Made of White Light”. A multidimensional, sonic tower arises as hypnotic, vocal harmonies unfold. It’s a graceful, psych groove that draws the listener in and suggests that you should stay for a while.