Iris Jupiter is a fuzz rock trio out of Orange County whose mostly informed by nineties American guitar bands with some post-hardcore influences. Signed to Open Door Records, a label you should keep on your radar, the band writes feedback-friendly fuzz rock with tense, anguished confessionals that balance noise with melody. If you’ve been seeking some modern alt rock that embraces the pedal trickery of Smashing Pumpkins-era Siamese Dream with some fleeting shoegaze tones, but with a lead singer that sounds closer to early days Roddy Woomble (if you’re of a certain age, there’s a good chance you have fond memories of Idlewild’s Hope Is Important), then they deliver a dense, textural brew of riffs that emit both a potent and vulnerable aura.

Iris Jupiter are set to release their self-titled debut on January 13th, followed by a record release show the day after at VLHS in Pomona. Juan Rodríguez

Post-punk trio REXX once again fulfill their adventurous streak with their latest EP "To Communicate", a unique collision of punk and funk fusion that epitomizes their frantic eclecticism and twisted melodic approach. Led by Rex Osterkamp, the five track EP seamlessly coheres rasping guitar leads with funky bass lines that, at their most urgent, recall the short-lived days of tropical punk. But Osterkamp takes on different musical styles, and not once is he disloyal to delivering a well-sequenced effort that honors the blistering brevity of punk rock. Juan Rodríguez

Heavy synth mash ups melt into the whitewashed drum machine to create the futuristic sound of darkDark. Genevieve Vincent and Chris James together create a visionary way to feel the music you listen to, casting a spell on your inner demons with every beat. I’m happy to announce that Netflix original series “Stranger Things” just found its season two song opener; at least my vote is cast. Kayla Hay

Indie rock band Old Notes released their debut full-length earlier this year, Former Self, a poignantly rendered illustration of young malaise that’s calibrated with heart-wrenching musical peaks and troughs. The Rancho Cucamonga trio are greatly informed by the Midwestern emo movement of the late nineties that continues to make a big impact in the current indie rock scene. The trio addresses their impassioned yearning with circular guitar lines and lilting melodic fragments that oftentimes erupt with melodic bursts of genuine clarity. 

Old Notes will be playing at deba256 in Pomona on December 30th. Juan Rodríguez

Roots rock band Willodean write twangy, slow-burning songs that pack a wallop of emotions. On their new single, "The Devil & Me", they slightly separate themselves from their more intimate songs to deliver an open-hearted anthem that finds a satisfactory compromsie between snappy folk-rock and campfire singalong. This release is only the beginning of what promises to be a prolific year for the trio, who are set to release four EP’s throughout the entirety of 2017. 

The first of the bunch, "Awesome Life Decisions: Side One", is set for a release of February 20th via Bigger Better More Records. Juan Rodríguez

Small Forward’s debut offers up a genteel kind of spare psychedelic folk that impresses with their careful attention to songcraft. Combining distinctive jangly guitars with echoing harmonies, the songs in The Moon You Stand On patiently unfurl with winding ballads that are lushly affective. There’s a familiarity to their simple approach that makes them sound timeless, teeming with multi-layered guitars and chugging beats that lend a uniformity to their quietly resplendent melodies.

Small Forward are playing at The Mint on January 25, 2017. You can listen to The Moon You Stand On on their official bandcamp page and most major music streaming platforms. Juan Rodríguez

Evan Andree and Travis Bunn are two songwriters who met by chance after they both came to Los Angeles to try their hand as songwriters and producers. They both utimately hit it off together and decided to form Trashclub, a garage-informed project that’s also indebted to the more hyper-melodic side of new wave and post-punk. Featuring anthemic first single "Out of my Head", their first EP, Black Out, promises to highlight seven hook-driven rock tracks that are written with a freewheeling looseness that relates to their current mindset of living in the now.

Black Out comes out on March 10 via Position Music. Juan Rodríguez

It’s a tall order to name yourself Auditorium. The baroque pop project sure lives up to the lofty name, though, as the full choral harmonies and vibrant acoustic guitar flourishes masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Spencer Berger could capture the attention of thousands who seek a powerful dose of musical uplift. Berger’s latest single, "Fire Fire Ocean Liner", displays his ease at creating subtle but tangile drama with a flightly romanticism that’s startling. The promo cut’s artistic direction only enhances his willingness to subvert conventions regardless of how it may rebut their otherwise palpable optimism.

Auditorium’s new album, The First Music, will be released on January 27, 2017. Juan Rodríguez

Saro’s debut EP, In Loving Memory, has an array of songs committed to the love and loss of relationships. One song in particular, Test, has a mix of electronic vibes and an ambient, airy pop feel with a distinct emotional connection linking artist and audience. If the beats don’t hit hard enough, Saro’s lyrics will. “Drowning from the inside,” he reveals, in what sounds like a toxic relationship, destroying each other to reach a high. Immerse yourself in Saro’s newest EP and revel in the polished heartache of it all. – Kayla Hay

Eclectic songwriting duo Wistappear are back with "Overflowed", a lively and altogether inventive folk-rock track where they sharpen their feel for dynamics with an acute sense of songcraft. There’s a freewheeling playfulness that evokes the woodsy, more eccentric side of psychedelia, complemented with a variety of sonic trinkets that further reinforce singer Ian Lipson’s colorful vocal delivery.

"Overflowed" is the first single off of their recently released full-length record Knack for Whatever. You can now listen to it in its entirety over at their bandcamp page.

Julian Jasper’s musical foundation has something of a connection to the practically defunct chillwave movement, except that his more straightforward approach to songwriting emphasizes clarity over obscurity. The LA-via-San Diego bedroom recorder’s first single, "2 AM, Chinatown", is sung from the perspective of an observer who’s taking it all in, acclimating to his surroundings. It’s also upbeat dance pop as if coming from an old soul, handled with a muzak-flavored sophistication that gives a welcome exuberance to his more introspective inclinations.

Jasper’s first 7", "2 AM, Chinatown / I Don’t Mind", is out now via Misra Records. – Juan Rodríguez

Noise punk group HEALTH sure have come a long way since we first wrote about them during their start, and it’s great to still see them at their idiosyncratic best. Their latest video off of last year’s Death Magic, "L.A. Looks", is a stylistically retro take on public access television that equally exposes and pokes fun at the weirder side of Los Angeles. Consider it as an apt travel guide for for those who’ve yet to visit our lovely city. Proceed with caution.