The impending drop of Golden Daze is nigh — one month away, to be exact — as Ben Schwab and Jacob Loeb release another of their dreamy psych colorations: the second track to their self-titled debut, "Low". With its springy, slack-luster lyrics and overwashed, sand-blasted paisley, the song hovers somewhere between the birds and the pavement. Or, as the duo describes, "[like] our version of ‘I Believe I Can Fly’."

Listen to "Low" by Golden Daze and pre-order their debut album, out February 19th via Autumn Tone with a release show at Non Plus Ultra on February 27th. – Ryan Mo, photo credit: Kai Hugo

Like a black hole, digital punk Garrett Yim distorts the boundaries of pop and noise; their binary opposition has always been a subject of interest to the California native. Raised in Anaheim Hills, Yim fashioned harsh sounds under the moniker Yuko Imada, taken previously by a late-’80s Japanese serial killer. Following Yuko Imada’s cacophonic denouement Roppongi Nightlife, Yim reappeared in 2014 as Meishi Smile, and has pervaded the digital space with a musical aesthetic that mixes shibuya-kei and shoegaze.

While Meishi Smile’s album debut LUST flickered pink noise with overcast picopop, 2015’s fall follow-up …Belong erodes saccharine gestures with a downpour of static. Ten provocative songs explore youth, death, dysphoria, and identity through the eyes and ears of a digital native.

Catch Meishi Smile supporting the Western tail of Chrome Sparks tour this week, and listen to "Belong". You can still win tickets to the sold-out Echo show; follow @MeishiSmile on Twitter for more details. – Ryan Mo, photo credit: Anthony Thompson

1/20 Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club

1/21 Seattle, WA @ Barboza

1/22 Los Angeles @ The Echo (Sold Out)

1/23 San Francisco @ Monarch

Psychpop stalwarts James Supercave have announced that they were nearing completion on the highly anticipated debut LP Better Strange. The trio, led by Joaquin Pastor, has been drumming up the release since their last show at The Echo (which we covered, by the way) with film teasers. Now they’ve announced a tour with Austin’s psych southern rock The Bright Light Social Hour. The tour starts three days from now in El Paso, Texas — Pastor and the gang will make their way through the Southwest and up to Seattle before the end of the month, see below for tour dates and locations. James Supercave’s debut LP Better Strange is out February 12 — vinyl pre-orders now available through Origami Vinyl. – Ryan Mo

1.16 El Paso, TX @The Lowbrow Palace

1.17 Phoenix, AZ @Crescent Ballroom

1.20 San Diego, CA @Soda Bar

1.21 Los Angeles, CA @The Echo

1.23 San Francisco, CA @The Chapel

1.27 Eugene, OR @The WOW Hall

1.28 Portland, OR @Mississippi Studios

1.29 Seattle, WA @Tractor Tavern

"I wanna do Passport. I wanna do Passport."

The harmonics and bass loops of "Looking Glass Reprise" drowned out Sam Farzin’s cries, and he relented. Christmas lights and butcher paper cutouts shuddered with each strum. The nondescript DIY space VLHS —cousin to recording house/makeshift venue The Palisades— has been a musical hub for Pomona and the greater Inland Empire for four years running. On Sunday night, over 40 warm bodies packed themselves inside the walls, resting on the half-pipe, offering bud and new friendships as the tremors of Media Jeweler rattled their skulls.

The atmosphere was loose, and it smelled like Red Forman’s basement.

Earlier, Jack Connor of opening band hit me, Harold joked about his goatee before burning a hole in our stomachs faster than you can say Rafa’s Tacos. DOCKS frontman Ranier Tinkelenberg broke a string, but still slayed the crowd with Jack’s honeyblonde Tele. Winter Break (ex- Summer Vacation) let out the most luscious screams as Mark Chen and Aaron Kovac gazed into each other’s eyes. And to top it off, Hillary Chillton spoiled us at the end of the night with a new song (as of now un-named), going overtime with closer "Sad Dad/Rad Dad".

Everyone knew the lyrics by heart. And everyone sang. Long live VLHS. – Ryan Mo

Last Friday, the 19th century home-turned-venue Historical Monument 157 (hm157) was host to several eclectic electronic acts including Litronix, Geneva Jacuzzi, and Future Shoxxx — our attention was focused on the haloes emanating from CELLARS, the synthpop project of singer/keyboardist Allene Norton.

Despite technical difficulties that plagued the first several minutes, Norton worked quickly with hm157 staff to reroute her signal chain through a DI box. She was not shaken; Norton traded banter as she worked, even quipped about her debut as a noise artist. At once, dense synth waves flooded the monitors and stirred the audience back to life as Norton lit a quick cigarette. And she tore through the cold with songs from her 2015 debut Lovesick like "Computer Simulation" and "Beat Of Our Love". Glowing from the backdrop of Wes Johannsen’s visuals, she stepped down from the stage for a brief moment to connect with her friends. Norton’s electric youth had bested a performer’s worst nightmare, and primed us for the release of her sophomore album Phases. – Ryan Mo 

While we were complaining about 50 degree weather in Los Angeles, Santa Ana’s Media Jeweler reportedly spent the last few weeks in Arizona while also helping to raise money for a friend’s stolen projector, which definitely made us feel like sloths. Sam Farzin (guitar) had this to say about the band’s foray into the wilderness:

"After a winter’s hibernation traveling between yurts along the floor of the Grand Canyon, we are four souls more aligned than ever before. We are excited to present our escapist song cycle in the flesh for the first time in almost two months."

The rock band (full stop) plays a DIY show with DOCKS, who are on the last stop of their EP Release Tour— their six-track album Misdirected comes out January 15th via Open Door (CDs) and Bad Break (cassette). Media Jeweler’s 2015 debut album $99 R/T Hawaii is expected to release in vinyl early next February. Check the Facebook event page for location details; act set times below. – Ryan Mo 

hit me, Harold – 8:30 PM

Media Jeweler – 9:10 PM

DOCKS – 9:50 PM

Winter Break – 10:30 PM

Hillary Chillton – 11:10 PM

Echo Park quartet Feels used to be six-piece Raw Geronimo, back when vocalist Laena Geronimo was mixing volatile amounts of jungle, punk, soul, goth, surf— whatever felt right. It was cool though; their cocktail of drone, discord, dirt and harmonized vocals had a strong DIY bite that wasted house parties, East LA venues, and even 2014’s Austin Psych Fest. Word caught on about Feels’ ferocious sets and everyone from Buzzbands to Lo-pie had to get a taste — at 2014’s Burger-a-Go-Go Fest, LA Times’ Contact Reporter Randall Roberts commented that the four-piece "pushed forth heavy, hard punk with more swagger than many of the acts on the main stage." 

Name change hasn’t stopped their momentum, and Feels still play songs from Raw Geronimo’s "Dream Fever" LP while sprinkling in new works, like "Bitched" from their live recording at Gaucho’s Electronics. Last year, the band launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund album production and a trusty tour van, slayed at Burger’s SXSW Caravan, came back for seconds at 2015’s Burger-a-Go-Go Fest, and toured with Tomorrows Tulips and L.A. WITCH, playing almost 80 shows total — 23 of which were here in Los Angeles, according to Oh My Rockness! 

Feels performs their first show of the year at the Echoplex with WALTER, Adult Books, and GAL PALS. Get out of the rain and soak up the sound tomorrow night — watch for the release of their self-titled debut LP (produced by Ty Segall) on Castle Face Records. We’re calling it now: 2015 was the year of the meme, and 2016 will be the year of the Feels. – Ryan Mo

At one point Dre Babinski joked if The Satellite’s audience could tell all her songs were in 6/8. The singer-songwriter sat snugly in her throne, a pistachio wing-back that contrasted sharply with the fireburst guitar in her hands. Softened by the acoustic hum of Bedouine and slightly inebriated, fans and friends threw their reactions to the stage, but Dre was unaffected. Her cool composure and glaucous coordination spun webs from Steady Holiday‘s soon-to-be-released debut Getting There — it was hard to move while songs like "Your Version of Me" persisted, even for the photographers. And at each definitive end, the cheers and applause reinforced our belief that even the softest voice can speak volumes under the right light, even on a Tuesday night.

See Steady Holiday perform again at the end of this month for Bootleg Theater’s GIRLSCHOOL Fest and stay tuned for the slated release of Getting There. Check out pictures from the night on our Instagram @TheDeliLA. – Ryan Mo, photo by Michelle McCausland

Cure your case of the Mondays by moonlighting at these venues with up-and-coming artists. Indietronic duo Magic Bronson kicks off their January residency at The Satellite, while Omar Velasco rekindles the Laurel Canyon flame at the Bootleg. Silverlake Lounge hosts Silver Snakes for two weeks, before the band’s release of upcoming album Saboteur, and The Echo opens its stage for Florida’s ethereal rock transplants SWIMM. Check below for residency line-ups. – Ryan Mo

Magic Bronson at The Satellite:

Jan. 4 — with Holy Cow, Booty, Rywolf, Dadon
Jan. 11 — with Kid Cadaver, Coyote, Psychic Love
Jan. 18 — with Nicky Blitz, Grit, Dadon, Ramonda Hammer
Jan. 25 — with Kingdoms, Slugs, Trickster Guru, Dadon

Omar Velasco at Bootleg Theater:

Jan. 4 — with PEARL CHARLES, Moke Hill
Jan. 11 — with Jenny O, Max Kasch 
Jan. 18 — with Leslie Stevens, Alex Siegal
Jan. 25 — with Odessa, Janitor

Silver Snakes at Silverlake Lounge:

Jan. 11 — with Flames of Durga, Vow, Sketch Orchestra
Jan. 18 — with The Ambient Light, VIS, Why We Use Knives

SWIMM at The Echo:

Jan. 4 — with Sam Setzer, Part Friend, and Green Gerry, DJ set by Kevin Bronson (Buzzbands)
Jan. 11 — with Golden Suns, Beach Party, and Gentle Pony
Jan. 18 — with Annuals, Andy Clockwise, Wolf Prize, DJ set by Kat Corbett (KROQ)
Jan. 25 — with Good Graeff, Told, New Electric Sound

Airhorns were ablaze yesterday as residents of Mabase crowded The Airliner’s upstairs venue in search of warmth and sound. There was a call for sci-fi inspired outfits, but we saw mostly dyed hair, pastel colors, and some frill — we spotted at least one well-done cybergoth, though! Screened with geometric visuals and scenes from Doubutsu no Mori, Playing Tourist Forever pummeled the second-floor bar with aggro-boss battle music, followed by bitpop trio Paladin Shield with songs from their 2015 self-titled debut. New York’s Knife City was Famitracker-free, but dished out strong drum & bass remixes for fans to go hard. Bedroom producer Slime Girls ended the night with a two-part set of heavy chiptune from the recent "NO SUMMER NO CRY" and abrasive ska-punk of earlier days, with covers of Undertale‘s "Dating Start" and of Japanese idol group BiS’ "PPCC".

Our ears were busted and the night was cold, but that was a hell of a show to end 2015. More pictures of the night on our Instagram @TheDeliLA. – Ryan Mo, photography by Michelle McCausland

It’s the day after Christmas, and Valley friends The Unending Thread are hitting us with another present — they’ve been collaborating with new Berkeley four-piece Forget It. on a split EP "TUT // FORGET IT", and today they dropped a new single! Forget It.’s "Not Everything Is About Me" follows last week’s release "Dearest Anna" with showers of twinkle and the screams of hoarse men, plus an introspective adage courtesy of Bojack Horseman. The Unending Thread’s "Dearest Anna", which premiered on MAT Magazine, marks the trio’s stylistic shift to territories redolent of dance-rock. Don’t fret though; them boy-girl vocals, double-tap riffs, and funk licks are still kicking.

"TUT // FORGET IT" comes out January 15th, 2016, with release shows happening in the Bay and LA. It’s a sick line-up on both fronts, but that goes without saying. – Ryan Mo

Jan. 10 — Octopus Literary Saloon (Oakland) with Just Friends, Sarchasm, The Unending Thread, Lawn Chairs

Feb. 4 — The Smell (Los Angeles) with The Unending Thread, Love Nothing, Ferbus, Josh Abrams, and Dustin and the Explosions

With Internet, game, and anime culture hitting critical mass in recent years, the time is nigh for chiptune revival. As one of the forerunners of bitpop experimentation, the bedroom project-turned digital sensation Slime Girls min-maxes sounds from Gameboy trackers with surf, ska, and punk-inspired music with the ingenuity of early-Crystal Castles, Anamanaguchi, The Depreciation Guild, and capsule.

Originally from San Jose, shoujo star Pedro Silva has built a cult-following through the years with his brand of Persocom pop, collaborating with cyber idols like Space Boyfriend, Punimelt, omocat and more. Following the chiptune cover of "Dating Start!" (from the critically acclaimed indie game Undertale), Slime Girls continues to break 8-bit walls the ataraxic "NO SUMMER NO CRY", transporting listeners through nostalgic rainbow roads, pixel beaches, and final boss stages. It’s only a taste of what’s to come in 2016 — quite frankly, the suspense is draining our HP.

Slime Girls performs at The Airliner on December 29th with knife city, Playing Tourist Forever, and Paladin Shield. – Ryan Mo