The Gloomies just capped off a couple of West Coast dates, which does bode well for the potentiality of new material around the corner. But in the meantime, the indie-pop duo set their sights on the new year with a chilly turn to escapism in the form of new single "Space." Joined by Madeline Follis of Cults, the seraphic track incorporates a hazy swirl of electronic textures that paint the sky like a soft oil canves. Its delicate musical composition inspires one to quell the stress during these cold, wintry months.

"Space" is out now on all streaming platforms. Juan Rodríguez

Mind Monogram take a fanciful trip into a lysergic wonderland on "Hedberg." The psych-rock four-piece envelops their grand throwback sound with free jazz embellishments that give the track a true sense of freedom. An ode to idiosyncratic late-comedian Mike Hedberg, "Hedberg" untangles into a beautifully melodic and layered production that keep its tuneful hooks grounded in experimentation.

"Hedberg" is the second single off of Mind Monogram’s forthcoming full-length, Ivory Hall, which is out in early 2018. Juan Rodríguez

Danielle Thwaites, or better known as Daiza, is blowing up in the local electronic scene. With roots in both Dallas and Boston, Thwaites brings years of writing and self-taught music production to her own rare style of electronica. After listening to all of Thwaites’s music on her sound cloud I instantly became a fan, and truth be told, I usually don’t seek out that style of music; it’s just not for me. However, she does an amazing job at transforming the imagery of her music into what she is feeling by incorporating guitars, synths, drum pads, Ableton and trigger sounds, creating a dark, twisted and fascinating story inside my own head. You can watch a captivating visual to her single, “Here,” on YouTube that definitely captured my focus for the whole 4 minutes. (I recommend watching it in the dark.)

Though all the music I have heard thus far from Thwaites was beautiful, single “Metal Mouth” has taken gold. Both lyrics and instrumentals come together to create a nostalgic and relaxing vibe that I was not expecting from an electronic artist. Thwaites’s talent is simply astounding, and up until recently, all of her shows were performed solo: “A friend of mine, Michael, is a real fan of my project. He co-wrote a new track with me, and now I’m bringing him to the stage for a few songs where he will sing, play keys and trigger whatever it is he needs to.” And with a show at Amplyfi coming up on January 12, Thwaites is determined to make every show different for her audience: “It’s never the same setlist, always a new song or two, and I’m always trying new ways of performing songs to have control of more parameters.”

Daiza is available on all social media platforms, so you have no excuse to not check her out and fall in love. Kayla Hay 

Cheap Tissue don’t go out of their way to make nice. The skate punk foursome plays lean, short songs with fast tempos and pulverizing guitar parts that ring true to their defiant credo of pure, unadulterated rock n’ roll. And though first single "Dirt" rips with iron-fisted grit, there’s also a likable idealism in their raucous delivery that invites a congenial response. 

"Dirt" can be found on Cheap Tissue’s forthcoming self-titled full-length, which is out on March 2 via Lollipop Records. You’re also welcome to crash their party at The Echo during their three-week residency this coming January 2018.

The sullen, monochromatic synth pop of Lesser Pieces takes a melancholic turn on "Texas," a solemn meditation on moving on after a relationship ends. The duo of Diane Badie and Mike Slott have their hearts entwined as a fractured rhythm carries its inner monologue with an aloof sultriness.

"Texas" is the first we’ve heard of the duo after last year’s release, "You and I (No Emergency)." It is out on all streaming platforms via OCSNL.

John Isaac Watters fills his stories with persuasive emotions. The folk crooner has raised his ambitions even further with the release of his latest EP, Past Hope Now, a conceptual piece that he’s now turned into a poetic short film about a relationship challenged by seemingly unsparing circumstances. Watters utilizes striking visual motifs to capture the story’s essence, utilizing his spacious, acoustic-guitar driven musings in pure and unfiltered form. His mini-song suite careens with artful finesse, elevating his quivering voice with an accented eccentricity that’s rightfully his.

Check out the short film for Past Hope Now below. Juan Edgardo Rodríguez

Folk rock band Mt. Joy’s early singles had an amiable folk sound with a bedroom recording aesthetic. But even if they sounded brittle, they were really bursting with life, just begging for a warmer and more expansive treatment. New single "Silver Lining" fulfills that purpose – the lush and homey harmony, which packs a familiar folk-meets-roots combo, has a big-hearted, anthemic quality that, even if a tad too slick for its own good, does harbor an inviting air..

"Silver Lining" can be found on Mt. Joy’s self-titled debut, which is out on March 2nd through reputable folk/Americana label Dualtone Records. You can catch them perform a hometown town – before they head out on tour with Neko Case next year – at the Lodge Room in Highland Park on December 8. Juan Rodríguez

Calamity the Kid are proud of where they come from on "American Muscle." But the indie rock trio does address how this current generational shift has had to pay for their elders’ immorality, a defiant outcry that a good portion of our population could perceive as, well, unamerican. "Well you’re lucky if you just survive / get arrested and you don’t know why / shot down by cops in doubles," summons singer-guitarist, Sam Doniger, as a fuzz-tinged guitar taints an otherwise modern pop sheen. He’s simply telling it like it is, and there’s no double standard that could ever disprove the song’s message.

"American Muscle" is the first single off of Calamity the Kid’s debut EP, Late Bloomer," which is out on February 2. You can also watch them perform at The Mint on January 8. Juan Rodríguez 

It’s been a little over four years since we last heard of local noise rock institution No Age. The duo of Randy Randall and Dean Spunt is back with new single "Drippy," a blistering, two-and-a-half assault of barebones guitar and drums that many will consider as a return to form after 2013’s more experimental-leaning An Object. 

"Drippy" is the second single off of No Age’s forthcoming full-length, Snares Like a Haircut. It is out via Drag City on January 28. Juan Rodríguez

Runnner, the project of Noah Weinman and Nate Lichtenburger, serves up sharp, intricately layered indie rock with inventively syncopated polyphonic textures. The luscious harmonies and varied weaving guitar lines they produce, which come from varied string instruments, have the musical force and sound of a full band despite coming only from a duo, though the essence of their debut full-length effort, Awash, lies in folk-rock songs with a pinch of electronic influence.

Check out the band at The Satellite on December 8, where they will split the bill with Goodnight, Texas and Lucy Arnell. Awash is currently available via their official bandcamp page. Juan Rodríguez

Bad in Bed delve into the mournful depths of a troubling romance on "Stay." Led by Mary Kobayahi’s wholesome vocals, the three-piece follow her loving sentiment with a tender love ballad that lifts up the listener’s spirit with a cheerful effervescence. But the band takes it up a notch and concretize their presentational message on their latest video for "Stay," an ode to classic cinema that offers tiny pockets of imagery offset by performance shots. It’s an approach that fortifies Kobayashi’s  openly honest lyrics.

"Stay" is the first single off of Bad in Bed’s debut full-length album, ‘The Looks Department.’ It is currently available via their official bandcamp. Juan Rodríguez

Gothic Tropic have been poised for a breakthrough for far too long. But lead songwriter Cecilia Della Peruti seems unconcerned with the prospect, possessing a maturity in her unruly pop songs that reveals her growth as an artist. Peruti has joined Northern England post-punk revival veterans Maxïmo Park for two nights in California, starting with LA’s very own Teragram Ballroom, where her minty Stratocaster set forth a commanding weave of staccato lines that fall somewhere between lavish psych rock and clean, yet amped up notes à la Lindsey Buckingham.

Peruti applies her very own technique on her latest release Fast and Feast, and it does translate even better on a live setting, where she handles her chord patterns comfortably as her four band mates provide a more wholesome environment. Most of her set washed over like a calm wave, but once she closed the set with the soaring, solo-heavy Stronger, it truly felt like all bets were off. And then it shortly ended. But Peruti accomplished what many opening acts regularly fail to accomplish throughout her punchy, 35-minute set: to leave a mainly unbeknownst audience curious and wanting for more. Juan Rodríguez