Something about saying the words "West Coast" immediately invites a welcome setting. Even when it has such a broad descriptor, it also requires no further explanation, even to an Angeleno like myself who sometimes takes the natural pleasantries this city offers for granted. That’s a feeling Silverlake-via San Diego musician Richard, who goes by Total Recluse, wants to evoke on "West Coast."  The dreamy, psych-pop informed single – which has a homespun quality to the recording – unfolds like a memory that is filled with wistful longing. It also has a timeless quality that seems ripe for any season, especially as the winter approaches.

"West Coast" is the lead single off of Total Recluse’s latest EP, Coastal Lows, which is out now via his official soundcloud page. Juan Rodríguez

Photo credit: Joanna Suhl

Nobody But You recount a memorable meet cute on "Echo Park Bar." With their mix of R&B and pop, the self-described emo-pop quintet delivers a soulful, good-natured take on the classic bar pickup that strikes a dim-lit mood with its mellow richness. The sultry track does have a jam-like quality despite its songwriting focus, which doesn’t come as a surprise given that singer-songwriter Michael Escañuelas and drummer Ryan Ohanessian first laid the foundation of the band by spending hours perfecting their craft in their practice space.

"Echo Park Bar" is the band’s debut single, a first taste before they release their forthcoming EP in early 2019. – Juan Rodríguez

The Drives get lost in a love-struck daydream on "Rebel." The indie rock duo of Andrew Levin and Casey Chen recall the effusiveness that comes from imagining the life of someone whose captivated your heart, like that object of affection who involuntarily blurs your senses and everything feels bright and new. Led by a blithesome hook that recalls Robert Smith at his cheeriest, the wholesome track takes flight with a jangly arrangement and a minimal swirl of sparkling synths. Its uptempo rhythm rushes through with a hazy sweetness that will have you smiling from ear to ear.

"Rebel" follows the duo’s 2017 debut EP, Am I Alright? – Juan Rodríguez

Neek aptly expresses the sinking feeling of unrequited love in "but why?" Echoed with downcast isolation, the electronic producer asks herself that question over some heavily chopped-up vocals. But the plea is unheard, vacant and unresponsive, a technique that works marvelously over the track’s lavish, dreamlike ambiance. Hers is an unpresuming bedroom recording with a big heart, one whose otherwise universal message resonates brightly.

"But Why?" is the leadoff track off of neek’s debut EP, words i shouldn’t have, which is out now on all streaming platforms via Mateo Sound. Juan Rodríguez

 Sometimes it’s hard to admit that that job that pays the bills can be such a chore. Younger Hunger understand that plight with some humorous whimsy on "Dead Inside." The stuttering, yet sinuous electro-pop track by the Long Beach trio intertwines a curious amalgamation of glitched-out samples over a funk-lite rhythm. Sounds complicated, but at its core, the spooky, yet buoyant track is a breezy listen that could well make that long shift a little bit less of a drag. 

"Dead Inside is the second single off of the trio’s forthcoming debut EP, which is out on December 7. Juan Rodríguez

Suzie True make ennui look good on "Rat Kid." On the music video for their latest single, lead songwriter Lexi Mccoy prances around with delightful aimlessness inside one of those ghostly, half-empty shopping malls that seem like they’ll exist forever. She lip syncs with gusto over a sweet hook, backed by a hooky earworm that is informed by both sixties Brill Building pop and garage rock fuzz. It’s a sad, yet heartfelt ballad that will leave you humming for days. 

"Rat Kid" is featured on Suzie True’s forthcoming EP, Nothing to You, which comes out tomorrow, October 26 via Buzz Records. Juan Rodríguez

Bleeding all the colors of jazz is Eva B. Rose, an enriching combination of Sara Barielles and Amy Winehouse. Rose’s new single, “Nick’s House,”  is a sizzling bombshell that will have you believe you are listening to a refurbished rendition of a 1945 jazz singer. The warm, seductive voice of Rose is, first and foremost, raw talent, but was also shaped at the Interlochen Arts and the Standford Jazz Vocal Residency. Along with studying poetry, Rose won an award at UCLA’s Spring Sing for her performance of an original ensemble called “Chicago.” 

With honey dripping from her lips as she sings, the deep, sultry sound of “Nick’s House” will make even the strongest of men melt. Kayla Hay

Ever feel like you’re lost in the crowd? You’re physically there, but your mind is just somewhere else. Mara Connor puts that feeling into a visual form on "No Fun," a 70s inspired video that sees the singer-songwriter engage in different social situations, lost adrift, until she finds her true company – herself. "No Fun" is also an elegant charmer – Connor’s drawn-out, yet lucid vocals are set against a majestic string arrangement and gleaming jangly guitars, wrapped around a melody that a band like Big Star could’ve written in their more tender moments. 

"No Fun" is the first single off of Connor’s forthcoming debut album. Catch her video release show at Highland Park Bowl tomorrow, October 20. Juan Rodríguez

Grand Canyon sound like seasoned veterans on "Lucinda." There’s a clarity and a richness to the roots rock outfit’s first single, which reaches deep into the heart and soul of traditional rock n’ roll with an open-hearted resonance. Led by the songwriting team of Casey Shea and Amy Wilcox, the band tap into a wide tapestry of eighties pop rock and Americana influences with its expansive, blue-collar-leaning sound. But such descriptors are an afterthought to what is essentially a love song through and through, a yearning, bittersweet ballad that is otherwise performed with a tuneful grace.

"Lucinda" is featured on Grand Canyon’s forthcoming self-titled debut record, which is out on November 9 via Bodan Kuma Recordings. Catch them at the Bootleg Theater on November 7. Juan Rodríguez

James Clifford evolves on both a personal and musical level with "Can’t Undo My Love." Clifford, who now goes by Primaveras, first caught my attention in 2016 with his terrific single "2 AM Chinatown."  What once was a soft rock-informed bedroom pop project, ushered with calm reflection, now tries to capture your attention with a forthcoming embrace. He ambles with a cool confidence, taking the lusher aspects of eighties British pop and turning them into a slick, uptempo ballad which has a "driving down the PCH with the windows rolled down" kind of groove. Clifford may have released a song with a summery feel to it, but isn’t the summer a state of mind, anyway? 

"Can’t Undo My Love" is taken from Primaeras’ debut full-length album, Echoes in the Well of Being, which came out late last month. Catch him at the Silverlake Lounge on October 30. Juan Rodríguez

Hey, Chels forge a muscular, guitar-driven ode to classic alternative rock on "Sludge Town, USA." Even the track’s nondescript title gives the assumption that it could’ve come out of anywhere, given how the San Diego band crank up their amps with mounds of blissful, post-shoegaze distortion. But this isn’t your everyday revision of a bygone nostalgic era – the four-piece revitalize a timeless sound on their own terms with great conviction. It’s a visceral jammer which sends a mighty call with an urgency that is impossible to reproduce. 

"Sludge Town, USA" is the leadoff track off of Hey, Chels’ recently-releeased self-titled EP. Juan Rodríguez

John Isaac Watters keeps his eccentricities at a grounded state in "If I Were the Smoke." An introspective look into a debilitated relationship, Watters – who goes by Rainstorm Brother with producer Tyler Chester – explores the reasons why Watters keeps himself at arm’s length from someone he loves. The balladeer’s gruff, yet dextrous vocal delivery, which reminds me of a younger Tim Buckley, usurps his poetic sensibilities while a murky undercurrent of modular electronics and discordant chamber arrangements spread a tenebrous ambiance. Stepping away from his former solo project, his more experimental leanings once again exalt the vast possibilities of folk music. 

"If I Were the Smoke" is featured of Rainstorm Brothers’ forthcoming EP, Pt. 1, which is out on November 9. Catch them perform at The Hotel Café on October 9. Juan Rodríguez